Serendipity In College
by Maiika
Summary: College is a time for fun and freedom for young adults. In between work and classes, there are friends and some become something more than friends. The DBZ couples meet in their senior year of college. Real world A/U. Mature content for adults only, Language/Adult Content/lemons. Coupling is not canon right away, but eventually G/CC, V/B, K/18. Slightly OOC at times.
1. One Night Stand

"Beer?"

A beautiful blue eyed girl shook her head at the sudden intrusion on her daydreaming. "I'm sorry, what?" She replied with a charming smile that momentarily dazed the young man looking at her.

"Want a beer?" He questioned again as he offered her the plastic cup filled with said substance. She glanced at it for a moment, then the man again before taking it.

"Yeah, thanks." She said, smiling again as he walked off to deliver more beverages to others in attendance at the party. She raised the cup to bring it to her lips, but was startled by the pressure placed on the cup as a hand covered it. She looked up from the beer to see a tall, strikingly handsome young man with black crazy hair, black eyes, and an amazing body which she quickly took note of.

"Don't drink that." He said as he looked at her very seriously.

"What?" She questioned, startled by this man's actions.

"Zarbon's being a real prick tonight." He said as he raised his middle finger at the beer giver now clear across the room. The girl followed his gaze to see the man who gave her the beer looking at this newcomer as if he was suddenly filled with rage. The black-haired man gave 'Zarbon' a challenging smile, and Zarbon stalked off angrily upstairs. The girl looked at the beer closely, now noticing small particles at the bottom of the cup.

"Son of a bitch!" She exclaimed as she realized she had almost been drugged. She looked up to the tall man again who raised his eyebrows at her as if questioning if she was alright then turned around.

"Hey, wait." She said, grabbing his arm. He turned around, looking at her expectantly. "Thanks for that, really." She said, feeling a bit embarrassed. She really appreciated her savior, and decided to find a way to thank him. "Do you want to dance?" She asked hopefully, as the college band was playing one of her favorite songs that night. He considered it for a moment, then took her hand.

"Sure." He said. "By the way, my name is Goku. What's yours?" He asked as they walked to the living room where there was limited dancing room amongst the other college students in attendance at this party.

"My name is Bulma!" She yelled into his ear over the loud music as they started dancing. He nodded to indicate he heard her, and they danced until the song ended. It was very upbeat and the dancing was energetic and fun. After the song ended, Goku and Bulma grabbed some beers and sat at a table where they could sit and talk away from the loud music.

"So, are you here with anyone tonight?" Goku asked Bulma curiously.

"Yeah." Bulma answered, noticing Goku frown at the answer. "My friend, 18 came with me." She looked around the room to pinpoint her friend, and spotted a straight haired fashionable girl, blond with piercing blue eyes approaching the table. "Here she is now." She told Goku with a smile as she waved 18 over to them.

"Hey, I remember you!" Goku said as he pointed at 18, smiling in recognition. "You went out with my roommate sophomore year."

18 raised her eyebrows at Goku in surprise. "Who's your roommate?" She asked with a frown.

"Vegeta." He answered as he leaned back in his chair and 18 took a seat at another chair by her friend.

"Vegeta? I'm surprised you remember me then. I don't think I went out with him for long. I don't remember you, honestly." She said with a coy smile.

"Yeah, well a name like 18 is hard to forget." Goku said, smiling back at her as he put down the empty beer cup from which he just finished drinking. "I'm getting another beer. You girls want one?" He offered as he stood ready to head to the keg.

"Sure." Both girls responded, and Goku headed off. As soon as he walked away, 18 looked at Bulma suspiciously.

"So?" She asked her friend with a sassy attitude.

"So? So what?" Bulma asked defensively.

"So, does this mean you're finally ready to move on from Yamcha?" 18 asked as Bulma frowned. "I mean," 18 continued as she watched Goku talking with some guys by the keg, "if you ask me, it's about time. And this guy looks like he can make you forget all about somebody who's 300 miles away." 18 said with a smirk.

"18." Bulma said scoldingly, "Yamcha and I have been together for six years. That means something." Bulma said as she longingly watched the dancers in the living room grinding on each other and making out without any concern about who might see them. "Though I am seriously frustrated with this." She complained.

"Yeah," 18 retorted as if this was beyond an obvious problem. "And didn't the bastard cheat on you last year? And you forgave him? For what? So you can keep feeling frustrated?" 18 continued angrily. 18's attitude changed quickly as she leaned closer to Bulma. "You've got a solution to the problem coming right over." 18 commented as Goku approached the table. Goku smiled at the girls and carefully handed over the beers. "Thanks, uh, what's your name again?" 18 said as she took the beer.

"Goku." He answered as he handed Bulma hers and took a sip of his own.

"Yeah, Goku. Listen, Bulma loves this song. Why don't you dance with her? I would, but my legs are so tired." 18 pretended as she rubbed her legs under the table. Goku smirked at 18. She was a horrible liar. He looked at Bulma and smiled. She was really beautiful. She had perfect skin, an attractive bust line, and beautiful cerulean hair.

"Alright, Bulma, you heard the lady." Goku said as he pulled her by the hands from her seat and lead her back into the living room. They started dancing next to a very intimate couple, with a girl on the other side of them who kept bumping into them as she danced, pushing them into each other a few times. They laughed and danced together until 18 approached them. 18 tapped Goku on the shoulder.

"I'm ready to go! I don't want to end Bulma's night, though! You think you could give her a ride? She's just off campus!" 18 yelled in his ear over the music.

"Yeah, no problem!" Goku answered with a big, charming smile. 18 smiled to herself. This was perfect. She kissed a surprised Bulma on the cheek and walked off, waving goodnight to her confused friend.  
"18 asked me to drive you home!" Goku told Bulma with a smile.

Bulma rolled her eyes at 18's obviousness, but could tell that Goku had no problem with it, so she resumed dancing with him, getting a little closer now. After a while, his touches and the feel of parts of his body rubbing against parts of hers became very enticing. She felt angry as thoughts of Yamcha betraying her in this way crossed her mind. How she could restrain herself with a guy like this and Yamcha couldn't keep it in his pants for a couple weeks of separation enraged her. Before she could get any deeper in her thoughts, she was surprised when Goku leaned down and kissed her. She was more surprised by herself when her body immediately responded and she kissed him back with a lustful fervor she hadn't felt in a long time. They broke the kiss and looked at each other for a moment. Seeing that Bulma enjoyed the kiss, Goku kissed Bulma again and they continued making out and dancing very intimately for a while, until they were ready to go home. As soon as they were in Goku's car, Bulma turned to him eagerly.

"Take me to your place tonight." She said. Goku kissed her passionately and immediately drove the short drive to his apartment. The two made their way up the stairs fondling each other and kissing, until Goku took out his keys and unlocked the door.

"Alright, we've gotta be quiet. My roommate's probably asleep, he's got classes in the morning." Goku warned as he led Bulma inside.

Goku quietly led Bulma into his room and closed the door. She hastily removed his shirt as he unzipped her dress, which fell to the ground, and she kicked off her shoes, falling back onto his bed. He removed his shoes and pants, leaning his body over hers on the bed. They kissed passionately, then Goku massaged one of Bulma's beautiful breasts with one hand as he sucked on the hardened nipple of the other. She ran her hands over his muscular chest and incredible abs, then used one to pull open his boxers while the other reached inside to stroke his hardened shaft. He groaned at the contact and reached into her panties, fondling her with his fingers as they resumed kissing. Bulma moaned into the kiss as he fondled her. At the feel of how warm and wet she was, he felt himself get even harder as his excitement built. She gasped when she felt how hard and thick he was, and couldn't wait for him to be inside her.

Goku quickly searched in his drawer by the bed, finding a condom and putting it on as he climbed over Bulma, placing himself at her entrance. He thrust hard into her as he kissed her neck, and she bit into his collarbone gently as she stifled a yell. He continued thrusting at a steady pace, fondling her breasts, until she breathily requested he go faster. He went faster in and out until her walls quivered and she came just as she caused him to grunt in release on top of her. He collapsed, rolling over, and they fell asleep together just like that, as they were completely spent.

Goku was awakened early the next morning by the sounds of sobbing. He sat up slowly, then looked to the source of the sobs to see Bulma dressing herself and wiping a tear from her eyes. He stood up on his side of the bed. "Oh no, don't tell me you're crying about what we did last night. You asked to come over. I'm sure it was consensual." He spoke in fear as he wondered how he had this woman crying.

"It definitely was consensual. That's the problem." Bulma looked at Goku with a little smile and tears in her eyes. She giggled and placed her hand on the side of her face to cover her view of Goku. "Can you, uh, put some clothes on?" Goku looked down, having forgotten he was still naked. He rifled through his drawers dressing into some boxers, a wife beater, and blue sweat pants as Bulma continued. "I have a boyfriend, Goku. We've been together since high school and this is the first time I've cheated on him." She looked in front of her, at nothing in particular for a moment. "I think I've just destroyed a six year relationship. I'm sorry." She said as she turned back to Goku. "This isn't your problem. You were amazing last night and I don't regret what we did, I just feel guilty."

"Hey, it's no problem." Goku said with a smile. "As long as you're not accusing me of rape or telling me last night wasn't good for you, I'm good." Bulma smiled at Goku. "I'm sure if you've been together that long and your boyfriend cares about you, he'll forgive you. You should talk to him about it." Goku assuaged.

"Thanks, I think I will." Bulma said with a smile as her tears dried.

"I'm going to make some coffee. Feel free to come out whenever you're ready." Goku said as Bulma started fixing her hair in his mirror. Goku headed into the kitchen to find his roommate already there.


	2. Bulma, Meet Vegeta

"Did you bring a woman home last night, Kakarot?" Vegeta asked as he opened the refrigerator.

"Yeah. Be nice to her, Vegeta. She's sad this morning." Goku said as he got to work with prepping the coffee maker.

"Oh yeah? Why? You couldn't get it up?" Vegeta snickered. Goku scowled for a moment, but figured he'd let that slide since he did sort of walk right into that one.

"She cheated on her boyfriend. And she feels really guilty. Oh, there was someone there you know last night-" Before Goku had a chance to finish, they heard Goku's bedroom door open and Bulma walked towards the kitchen. Bulma was amazed when she saw Goku and his roommate in the kitchen. She thought Goku was the hottest guy she had ever seen on campus, but here Vegeta was just as hot. He wasn't nearly as tall as Goku, but as he stood there in nothing but striped pajama pants, she could see he was just as built. He had a handsome face with a chiseled jawline and black piercing eyes as well as flamelike black hair. How two guys that hot could be right there in front of her, she couldn't believe.

"Good morning." She said shyly as she tucked a strand of her shoulder length hair behind her ear.

"Want some breakfast, Bulma?" Goku offered as he looked in the fridge while Bulma and Vegeta studied each other carefully. "We have...cereal or...eggs."

"Aww, you would make me eggs for breakfast? That's so sweet." Bulma cooed genuinely as she took a seat in one of the barstools by the kitchen counter.

Vegeta walked over to her and whispered, "don't let Kakarot make you eggs, he can't cook shit." before heading to his room with his breakfast in hand.

"Hey, Vegeta, I thought you had class this morning!" Goku yelled to him as he pulled some milk and cereal from the fridge.

"Toriyama cancelled this morning. I've got an hour before my next class." Vegeta informed him before shutting himself in his bedroom.

"He's a little rude, isn't he?" Bulma mused after Vegeta left.

"What do you mean?" Goku asked as he poured two cups of coffee.

"Hey, why did he call you Kakarot?" Bulma asked without bothering to answer Goku's question.

"Oh that's sort of Vegeta's nickname for me." Goku said with a smile as he held up a cereal box and an egg to reiterate Bulma's breakfast choices.

"Just cereal please." Bulma said with a smile as she thought of Vegeta's earlier comment. "What kind of a nickname is Kakarot?"

"There's a story behind it." Goku said as he poured two bowls of cereal and milk, handing one to Bulma with a spoon. She looked interested, so he continued. "You know freshman year when they send you your roommate information? Well someone screwed up and it said Vegeta's roommate's name was Kakarot. When we met, I told him my name was Goku, but he had been thinking for over a month that he'd have a roommate named Kakarot, so he kept calling me that by accident. After a while I said, the hell with it, just call me Kakarot." Bulma and Goku laughed as they ate. "So what's your major, Bulma?"

"Bio mechanical engineering. Yours?" Bulma said with a smile as Goku looked impressed. He noticed she was finishing her cereal and coffee.

"Criminal Justice. You ready for that ride home now?" He said with a smile as he took her bowl.

"Actually, my apartment building is literally right next door to yours." She stood up and flung her purse over her shoulder.

"Cool. So we'll be seeing each other around." Goku said as they stepped out of the apartment.

"Definitely." Bulma gave Goku a friendly hug.

"You were amazing last night." Goku gave Bulma a playful pat on the butt.

"So were you." Bulma gave Goku one last quick kiss. She started to walk away as another resident was walking slowly past them and observing them.

"Good luck with that boyfriend!" Goku called to her.

"I'll need it. Thanks for everything, Goku!" Bulma said with a big smile as she walked off. Goku turned to his next door neighbor who had been walking by and was checking out Bulma as she walked away.

"Goku, I don't know how you do it. Every time I see a girl with you they just keep getting hotter." Krillin said with a sly smile.

"Hey, you should talk, Krillin. You've been with Maron for about three months now, right? She's hot." Goku said.

"Oh! Goku, Tien is having a party next weekend. You and Vegeta should come. And invite her, too." Krillin said, indicating Bulma.

"I thought Tien had Chaotzu this week?" Goku asked.

"His baby momma is picking him up on Friday. Party's Saturday night." Krillin said as he headed into his apartment. Goku nodded and headed back in as well, ready to relax before his afternoon classes started.

* * *

Bulma hung up the phone and willed herself not to cry. Yamcha had listened to her confession and without a word, hung up on her. She stubbornly refused to call him back, expecting him to do so. When her phone rang a few minutes later, she hastily picked it up. "Yamcha, you listen to me-" Bulma started but stopped when she heard a feminine voice on the other end of the phone yell her name over the oncoming tirade. "Oh, sorry. Who is this?" She corrected herself.

"It's 18. Why are you expecting a call from Yamcha?" She asked in annoyance. "I thought you were hooking up with Vegeta's friend last night."

"Oh, I more than hooked up, thanks to you. Then I was so guilty this morning that I called Yamcha to confess, and the bastard just hung up on me." Bulma whined.

"Great!" 18 squealed. "How was it?" She asked gleefully.

"Hello! Did you miss the part where I told you I'm upset about my boyfriend?" Bulma asked in annoyance.

"No, I heard you, but I honestly don't care about that. I'm happy for you, Bulma. It's about time you got laid by someone other than Yamcha. Isn't that frustration you were feeling all gone now?" 18 asked.

"Well, yeah, of course it is. I've replaced frustration with guilt. How is that better?" Bulma complained.

"Believe me, it's better. The guilt will go away soon, but the frustration would just keep getting worse. Hey, did you meet Vegeta by any chance?" 18 asked curiously.

"Yeah." Bulma said. "Why did you break up with a guy like him? He must be the hottest guy you've ever dated."

"Was he being an asshole when you saw him?" 18 asked as if she already knew the answer to her question.

"No. I mean he was abrupt, didn't bother to introduce himself or say good morning, but I thought he was kinda cute." Bulma smiled as she talked.

"That's surprising. Maybe he's matured. But you sound like you've got a crush on my ex." 18 said teasingly.

"Maybe." Bulma said with a smile. Bulma heard a beep on the phone. "Hey 18, I've got another call coming in. I'll talk to you later." She said as she clicked over and greeted her second caller more cautiously than the first.

"Hi, Bulma. It's Goku." Bulma smiled. "Hey, Goku. I see you found my number."

"Are you still sad?" He asked her.

"I'm not gonna lie. Things are just as bad as I thought they'd be with Yamcha." She said, sounding melancholy.

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to invite you and 18 to a party Saturday night. My friend Tien is a grad student and has a house. He's throwing the party there. You wanna come?" He asked.

"Well I can't speak for 18, but I'm in. I'll ask 18, too. Could you give us a ride?" Bulma asked as she assumed both her and 18 would want to drink at this party.

"Sure. Vegeta and I drive together, so you both could ride with us." Goku offered. Bulma hung up and called 18 back, who eagerly agreed to go the party.

* * *

The next day, Goku had just woken up and was getting breakfast in the kitchen. Vegeta came in, looking Goku over with a scowl.

"Kakarot, get some clothes on, I've got a woman over." He said to Goku who was only wearing boxers. Goku headed to the couch where he had thrown a pair of jeans and slipped them on. "We were invited to a party Saturday night at Tien's." Goku told Vegeta as he fastened his pants and returned to the kitchen.

"Tien?" Isn't he the gay one?" Vegeta asked skeptically.

"No." Goku paused and thought for a moment. "I mean, he has the boyfriend now, so I guess so. But he has a son, so I guess he goes both ways?" Goku answered unsure.

"Great. As long as this isn't some gay party, I'll go." Vegeta answered gruffly.

"Great. We're taking Bulma and her friend with us too." Goku told Vegeta as he scrambled an egg.

"The woman?" Vegeta asked, raising an eyebrow in interest.

"The woman?" Goku repeated in confusion.

"The one you brought home the other night." Vegeta explained as he pushed Goku aside to open the drawer and cabinet, preparing his own breakfast.

"Oh yeah. And her friend is 18. You remember her?" Goku asked curiously as Vegeta nodded slowly while recalling his old fling. They stopped talking when Vegeta's door opened and a beautiful girl with long blue hair walked down the hall towards the kitchen wearing a button front shirt of Vegeta's.

"Maron?" Goku asked in astonishment. "Vegeta, this is Krillin's girlfriend." Goku told Vegeta who simply shrugged.

"Really? I didn't care to notice." Vegeta said as he reached in a kitchen drawer, pulling out a pack of cigarettes. He took one for himself and tossed the pack to Maron.

"Hey, Goku." Maron said sexily with a wink.

"Did you and Krillin break up?" Goku asked Maron reproachfully.

"No, silly." Maron said as she tossed her hair and grabbed a cigarette from the pack. "We have an open relationship. Though I do have him wrapped around my finger. I think that boy's going to ask me to marry him someday. But in the meantime," Maron said as she came up behind Goku who had turned back to the stove, flipping his egg in the skillet, "how are _you_ feeling?" She asked playfully as she pinched Goku's butt. Goku turned around quickly, looking at Maron in disbelief. He glared at her for a moment while plating his egg, then shook it off and brought breakfast to his room. Vegeta had been watching the whole interaction as he lit up a cigarette and glared at Maron himself, feeling annoyed that this woman would dare proposition herself to his roommate just after they'd had sex.

"Why don't you get dressed and get out of here?" He asked her venomously.

Maron harrumphed and shut herself in Vegeta's room in a huff. A few minutes later, Goku emerged from his room to find Vegeta stoically smoking in the living room. "I thought you quit?" Goku asked Vegeta.

"Obviously not." Vegeta answered as he glanced at his roommate.

"At least open a window. You're gonna get us kicked out of this apartment." Goku complained.

"Please." Vegeta groaned as he reached for an ash tray on the coffee table. "That old man never bothers to check any apartments that don't have female residents." Goku nodded at that but still waited for Vegeta to open the window and he eventually complied. Maron emerged from Vegeta's room and stormed out the door.

"What's with her?" Goku asked, not really caring as he sat on the couch.

"I told her to get the fuck out." Vegeta said as he put out his cigarette. Goku watched TV for a while, then grabbed his keys and headed out with a quick bye to Vegeta as he went to work at the gym as a personal trainer. Vegeta said he'd be there later, as he also did some personal training for work. Vegeta sat on the couch to relax for a while, when he heard a knock at the door. He groaned as he went to answer it, ready to harangue whoever was interrupting his limited down time for the day. He was surprised when he opened it to see the same woman Goku brought home the other night.

"Hi, Vegeta. Is Goku here?" She asked as she glanced over his shoulder to see if she could spot Goku inside.

"No. He'll be back after 6:00." Vegeta said as he started closing the door, until Bulma pushed her hand against it.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Bulma yelled at Vegeta to stop his efforts of closing the door. "Are you always in such a rush to get rid of people?" Vegeta rolled his eyes.

"When they waste time with pointless chatter, I do. I believe in getting to the point. Now is there a point to us standing here right now when I already told you Kakarot is not here?" Vegeta asked irritably.

"I need the address for the party he invited me to." She said with her arms crossed. "Is that getting to the point fast enough for you?" She spat back at him in annoyance.

"Why?" Vegeta asked, his interest now piqued.

"Now you want useless chatter? Make up your mind." Bulma retorted.

"It ceases to be useless when the conversation gets interesting." Vegeta said with a smirk.

"18 is driving separately, she wants to come but not stay out too late. You remember 18, don't you, Vegeta?" Bulma said bitingly.

"Yes, I do." Vegeta said enigmatically, and they both stood there quietly for a moment. Then Vegeta retreated into the apartment, leaving the door open. Bulma took this as an invitation and followed him inside. Vegeta grabbed a pen and paper from the drawer, placing them on the counter, then turned to face Bulma.

"You're coming with us to this party?" Vegeta asked with interest.

"Yes. Are you going to give me the address or not?" Bulma asked.

"I'm not sure if I have it." Vegeta said as he pulled his cell phone off the counter and scrolled through it. Bulma pursed her lips in annoyance at how long this was taking.

"Look, I need it quick. I'm going to be late for my next class. Why don't you just have Goku text it to me?" Bulma said as she headed for the door.

"Hey!" Vegeta called, causing Bulma to stop. "Why did you really come here?"

"What?" Bulma asked in surprise.

"You could have just texted Kakarot for the address. So why are you really here? Looking for round two?" Vegeta asked with a sly smile.

"No, asshole! I wanted to talk to Goku about something personal, but it'll just have to wait." She answered him. She opened the door and turned to Vegeta one last time, looking at him absorbedly. Then she left, leaving Vegeta curious about her behavior.

* * *

When Goku got home that night, Vegeta told him to text Bulma Tien's address and mentioned how she wanted to talk about something personal.

"Really? I wonder what it could be?" Goku mused while drinking beer and watching TV with Vegeta on the couch.

"Maybe you knocked her up." Vegeta suggested.

"No way, Vegeta. It's only been a few days. That's impossible. Well, whatever it is, I'm sure she'll talk to me when we go to the party." He paused thoughtfully for a moment, then looked at Vegeta with a smirk. "You seem to be taking an interest in Bulma."

"What the hell are we watching, Kakarot?" Vegeta asked as he grabbed the remote and started channel surfing. Vegeta was done discussing Bulma, and Goku knew him well enough during four years of being roommates to know there was no point in pushing the subject any further.


	3. Women Scorned

Women Scorned

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Bulma yelled out the window as Goku and Vegeta waited in the car for her, Vegeta honking the horn insistently. "What's the rush?" She huffed as she finally sat in the backseat, feeling flustered. Goku turned around from the passenger seat with an apologetic smile. 

"Don't mind Vegeta. He has the patience of a spoiled child." Goku said with a smirk, causing Vegeta to growl. 

"I had a tough week. I need to blow off some steam, alright?!" Vegeta yelled as he pulled out of the parking lot. 

"What are you studying anyways, Vegeta?" Bulma asked as she finished applying her makeup in the car. 

"I'm pre-law." Vegeta answered absently as he focused on finding Tien's house. 

"Oh, those classes must be pretty tough." Bulma responded. She did not know what else to say for a moment, then felt awkward in the backseat as Goku and Vegeta quietly chatted between themselves about some people Bulma didn't know. They arrived just a few minutes later, wasting no time to get inside the house. They were immediately greeted by a tall student with a shaved head and muscular build, who encouraged them to get a drink, and introduced himself to Bulma as Tien. 

"Tien, how you doing?" Goku asked, giving his friend a handshake. Vegeta only nodded in greeting while Bulma gave a more formal handshake. 

"Goku! You made it!" They heard, and Goku turned to the voice to see Krillin. 

"Yeah, we were a little held up, but we're here now!" Goku said. "Bulma, I don't think you've met Krillin." 

"I remember seeing him outside your apartment though. I guess you're neighbors, huh?" Bulma said as Krillin took her hand and kissed it in greeting, causing her to giggle. 

"I'm getting a drink and going to play some pool!" Goku yelled excitedly as he headed for Tien's fully stocked bar, Vegeta heading straight for the bar as well.

Bulma turned to Tien and Krillin. "Have you seen my friend, 18? She was supposed to meet me here." Tien and Krillin looked at each other and shrugged.

"What's she look like?" Krillin asked. Bulma described her and Krillin smiled in recognition. "Oh, her! Yeah she's here. I saw her dancing earlier." Krillin said as Bulma noticed him blushing. She could only imagine what type of dirty dancing 18 was doing to get him reacting like that. 

"Thanks. I'll go find her. She's probably pissed at me for getting here late." Bulma said as she headed to the bar to get a drink before starting her search. 

Krillin told Tien he was going to play pool with the guys. When he reached the pool table, he saw Goku and Vegeta hammering down shots while Tien's boyfriend was shooting pool with some guy he'd never seen before. Tien's boyfriend was very tall, muscular and bald like Tien. Krillin still could not understand the attraction to another man, but figured to each his own. He joined the guys at the pool table just as Tien's boyfriend won the game. 

"Hey, great shot, Piccolo!" Goku yelled as he took the pool cue from him. Vegeta racked the balls as Goku prepared to shoot. He broke the balls well, landing two balls in the pockets. Once he determined that he was stripes and missed his second shot, he turned to Krillin while Vegeta took his turn. "Krillin, are you still seeing Maron?" When Krillin said yes, Goku asked, "Is your relationship open?" 

Krillin looked at Goku suspiciously. "Are you thinking of going after Maron, Goku?" Goku looked appalled, but before he could answer, Vegeta chimed in. 

"Just drop it, Kakarot." Vegeta was hoping to avoid drama for the night and have fun. Goku took his next shot at the table, then looked back at Krillin. 

"So you're exclusive?" He asked Krillin, who nodded as he started looking angry now.

Krillin looked at Goku and Vegeta suspiciously. "Why would you think it was any different?" He asked them warily. Vegeta rolled his eyes as he realized that it was too late to stop this from happening.

"Because that's what she told him after I fucked her." Vegeta said bluntly. Goku grimaced at Vegeta's abrupt approach. Krillin looked incredibly shocked. Goku nodded his confirmation. "Then she came on to him. Your girlfriend is a real slut." Vegeta taunted.

Krillin was dumbfounded. He thought things were great with Maron. He even thought she had real feelings for him. She had talked about their future together a lot for a woman in a three month long relationship. As he stood there stunned, 18 came into the room with a bottle of whiskey, offering everyone a shot as she took a seat to watch the pool game, making hesitant eye contact with Vegeta. 

"Hey, 18!" Goku said when she showed up. "Did you see Bulma?" He asked as he took his next shot at the pool table, groaning as he missed his shot. 

"Yeah, I saw her. She's dancing right now. I figured I'd come in here to play the winner for the next game." She said, shooting a seductive smile to Vegeta. 

"Looks like you'll be playing me." Vegeta said as he took his turn, landing yet another ball in the pocket. He shot for the 8-ball, making it in, and 18 racked the balls for a new game. Goku left with Krillin to sit and talk, hoping to help him forget about Maron. Vegeta and 18 played a close game of pool, but 18 won. She had played very suggestively through the game, which Vegeta observed without reacting. 

"Well, Vegeta, looks like I win." 18 bragged as she stepped closer to Vegeta. All Vegeta could feel for 18 was anger. They had fought so much when they dated until she broke up with him, which he later realized was for the best. 

"18." Vegeta said as he leaned in close, making her nervous. "I've already rode that ride. I'm not looking to do it again." 18 backed away, deeply offended, and slapped him, before heading outside where no one would bother her.

18 sat outside on a retaining wall, away from the crowds of people at the party. "Men are such assholes." She complained aloud, looking up into the starry sky without noticing the person sitting only a few feet from her. 

"Tell me about it." She startled, looking to the side to see another woman in the dark. "Such assholes." The woman agreed. 18 looked at the woman as she moved closer to her. She had long, silky black hair, a skimpy red strappy dress, her shoes were off, and her eyes were red and puffy. "What did the guy do to you?" She asked. 18 looked at her, instantly feeling sorry for the girl. 18 could tell whatever happened to her was worse.

"I had a reunion with my ex. Turns out he's still an asshole. What happened to you?" 18 asked carefully as she hoped not to restart the tears by talking with this woman. 

"I just caught my boyfriend screwing another girl in one of the bedrooms upstairs." She moaned in such a way that 18 thought for sure she was starting to cry, but she choked it back and let out a yell instead. "I could kill him!" The other woman took a deep breath, then looked at 18, studying her for a moment. "You don't have a drink." She said with a sad smile, and 18 thought for a moment the girl was unstable, until she reached down on the ground beside her, picked up a shot glass and a bottle and poured the drink, handing it to 18 as she reached down to pick up her own shot glass. "Here's to us." The girl said as she toasted 18 and gulped down her shot. 18 did the same. 

"I'm 18. What's your name?" She asked, smiling slightly at the other woman. 

"I'm Chi-Chi." She said, smiling back at the other woman. "Here, have another." She said as she handed 18 another shot. 18 leaned forward to look past Chi-Chi, seeing that she had an empty bottle of something next to her, as well as the one she was pouring from, which was about ¾ full. 

18 laughed. "You were going to drink all that by yourself? It's a good thing I came out here." Chi-Chi laughed, feeling somewhat better for the first time since her unfortunate discovery.


	4. Driving Me Crazy

Driving Me Crazy

Bulma had been dancing and drinking, meeting new people at the party, but after a while wondered where her friends were. She looked all over the house, finding Goku and Krillin hanging out by the bar, and Vegeta and Tien playing pool, but no sign of 18. She approached Krillin and Goku. "Hey, guys." She awkwardly sat next to them, as it seemed she was interrupting some heart to heart conversation.

"Hey, Bulma. Having fun?" Goku asked with his usual charming smile.

"Yeah, I was. But I can't find 18 anywhere. Have you seen her?" Bulma asked, futilely looking around again for signs of her friend.

"No. We saw her earlier by the pool table, but that was a while ago." Goku said as he looked at Krillin who frowned and shook his head. "We can help you find her." Goku offered.

"Thanks." Bulma said as she placed her hand on Goku's chest before he stood from his seat. "Can I talk to you first, Goku?" Bulma eyed Krillin, hoping he would realize his cue to leave.

"I'll go start looking for 18." Krillin said earnestly, more so than Bulma had expected. She turned to Goku, smiling at the man who seemed like such a trustworthy friend already, strangely enough, given the way they met.

"Remember I told you that things didn't go well with my boyfriend?" Bulma asked as Goku nodded, seeming somewhat concerned, though Bulma could tell he, like herself, had a lot to drink. "Yamcha called me back a few days ago, said that he forgave me, as long as I was being honest and it was just the one time." She paused, hesitant to continue. "I…want your opinion. I want to try to make things work with him, except I'm not sure if I trust him anymore. I get the feeling that he's hiding something. I think he cheated again. He's supposed to visit me next weekend. Do you think it's worth it? I mean, from a man's perspective? My girlfriends keep telling me to dump him. I just feel really confused right now." Bulma looked into Goku's eyes as she asked the meaningful question.

Goku could see the turmoil in Bulma, but more than anything felt shocked that she came to him with this question. "I don't know, Bulma. I've never met him, but if you're suspicious, maybe you should see him at least to confront him in person?" Goku suggested doubtfully. He knew he was by no means a relationship counselor. Bulma nodded, realizing that was the best she was going to get from Goku on this, but appreciating his advice nonetheless. She grabbed his hand.

"Thank you." She said as she smiled. "Now let's go help Krillin find 18." They headed to the backyard at Bulma's suggestion, as she had already looked all over the house to no avail. _

Krillin headed to the backyard first in search of 18, and after looking all over was just about to head back inside when he faintly heard women's laughter towards the perimeter of the yard. He headed that way and noticed two women who looked completely wasted.

"18?" Krillin called, not sure if one of them were her. As he got closer, he recognized her and called "18!" She turned to see who was calling her.

"Hey! You're the guy who was watching me dance earlier!" 18 said, laughing as she demonstrated one of her dance moves. 

"Yeah, right." Krillin chuckled nervously. He didn't know what it was about 18, but the woman made him feel shy.

"Come join us! Me and my friend, Chi-Chi here are berating men and having a blast, right Cheech?" 18 said as she smiled at a giggling Chi-Chi.

" Who's your friend, 18?" Chi-Chi asked as she took a good look at Krillin.

"I'm Krillin." Krillin answered for her. "I'm a friend of Bulma's. She's been looking all over for you, 18."

"Oh! Well I'm right here. Tell her to come and get me." 18 said with a laugh as she stumbled into Krillin's arms as he warily caught her. Krillin didn't know if he'd be able to get 18 inside on his own, and he couldn't leave Chi-Chi alone out here like this, so he decided to call for help. Fortunately for him, Goku and Bulma were only a few feet away, and they heard him and came over.

"Oh, 18!" Bulma exclaimed like a disappointed parent when she saw the condition her friend was in. Bulma was drunk and she knew it, but 18 and her friend were a mess.

"Hey, Bulma babes! I told you! I told you Vegeta was an ass, but you didn't believe me!" 18 yelled to her friend as she approached.

"I think we need to get her home now, guys." Krillin said, feeling bad for 18 who was obviously miserable.

"Yeah, you're right. Who's this?" Goku asked, looking at Chi-Chi and directing the question at the whole group.

"I'm Chi-Chi." She said indignantly.

"Didn't 18 drive herself here tonight?" Goku asked.

"I sure did!" 18 replied proudly, raising her fist in the air.

"Did someone bring you here that can drive you home tonight, Chi-Chi?" Bulma asked.

"Hell, no! I am not getting into a car with that prick!" Chi-Chi yelled, referring to her wayward boyfriend.  
Bulma, Krillin and Goku looked at each other, wondering how they were getting everyone home safely.

"I could drive these two home, but I honestly think I'll need some help. I can't handle both of them on my own." Krillin complained.

"Well, Goku, Vegeta and I drove together. Vegeta's driving, so I could go with you guys instead." Bulma said.

"Yeeeaaah…but Bulma, no offense. Are you really capable of helping these two in and out of the car if they're falling on their faces? Dead weight can be pretty heavy. It would be better for me if Goku rode with us instead." Krillin suggested. Bulma thought for a moment, then turned to 18 and Chi-Chi.

"Would that be alright with you two if these guys got you home? I vouch for Goku, he's a trustworthy guy, and Krillin is his friend, so I trust he'll take care of you. Right, Krillin?" Bulma asked Krillin warningly. Chi-Chi and 18 looked at each other and shrugged, too drunk to raise any arguments or care.

"Right! Just give me 18's address; we'll have Chi-Chi tell us where she lives on the way." Krillin said, feeling surprisingly scared of Bulma's threatening demeanor. The group headed inside to find Vegeta and inform him of the plan, who grumbled about why they had to be the ones driving these women home. But he stopped complaining when he realized he just had one less passenger and would be driving Bulma home himself.

Krillin decided to head to 18's first. He helped her into the passenger seat while Goku helped Chi-Chi into the back seat, following her in. Krillin looked at the address and started driving, while 18 started all the talking.

"Goku, how do you not know Vegeta is an ass?" 18 asked as she turned her whole body around, Krillin promptly pulling her back into her seat to keep her safe.

"Vegeta's not an ass. He just has an unusual personality." Goku said with a shrug. Chi-Chi watched Goku with interest as he spoke. She had never seen a man with hair like his, but what interested her more were his flawless facial features and amazing build.

"Hey, Goku. Do you have a girlfriend?" Chi-Chi asked him.

"No." Goku said as he looked at her for only a moment. He was avoiding looking at her as she was dressed very sexy with a killer body and sat draped in a position that was very enticing. He knew she was too drunk to be making rational decisions right now, so he needed to keep distance from her. Of course, 18's input made that goal even harder.

"Yeah, Goku here helped out Bulma last week when _she_ had a cheating boyfriend problem, if you know what I mean." 18 said as she made an obscene gesture.

Krillin looked at her wide eyed. "18, stop that!" He said as he struggled not to be distracted from the road.

"She told me all about how thick it was, and how she felt so much better after a good fuck." 18 gushed, smirking at Chi-Chi, who was hungrily eyeing an extremely uncomfortable Goku.

"You know all about it, too. Don't you, Killian?" 18 said as she reached across to Krillin, rubbing his chest sensually. "Huh? Huh?" She pushed against Krillin's shoulder repeatedly and obnoxiously. "I bet Goku gave you some juicy details about Bulma."

"18, it's _Krillin_. And will you stop talking about that?" Krillin peered over his shoulder at the two in the backseat. He could see Goku looking like he was struggling to restrain himself, and Chi-Chi looking erotic as she licked her lips. Krillin looked at the nearest street sign, and realized he might be getting lost. Meanwhile, Chi-Chi took a good look at Goku again, and decided to make her move. If her boyfriend could mess around tonight, she figured Goku was her perfect opportunity to get even. She leaned in and kissed him, startling him. But he quickly responded to the kiss as her soft lips met his, and she slipped her tongue in his mouth quickly. The two made out for a few minutes before the front passengers realized it. Krillin looked in the rearview mirror, ready to tell his riders he was having trouble finding the place, when his mouth dropped. 18 turned around after seeing Krillin's face, and laughed, causing them to stop kissing. Goku frantically pulled away, realizing he was getting into dangerous territory with Chi-Chi. Krillin finally told them they were lost, asking 18 for directions, but she couldn't be bothered to tell him as she watched Chi-Chi move back in on Goku, climbing on his lap and straddling him while she kissed him again. Goku willed himself to pull away after a moment, long enough to say something to Krillin.

"We need to sober up, Krillin. Go find a diner or something." He said breathily.

Krillin looked back to speak to Goku, not sure if it wasn't better to just get these girls home as soon as possible. When he did, he saw Goku was eagerly kissing Chi-Chi now and losing his resolve. He realized those two needed to get out of the car as soon as possible, so he headed towards the nearest diner. _

Vegeta was just pulling up to Bulma's apartment building. She had dozed off during the car ride, and he found the ride a soothing reprieve from the exciting night. He watched Bulma's gorgeous sleeping face, which he found amazingly soft and angelic compared to how she usually looked when they were having conversation. He had never found a woman so attractive. He sighed, then violently shook her shoulder until she woke up.

"You're home." He said as she looked around in tired confusion. Bulma smiled at Vegeta, happy to wake up and see him there.

"Thanks for the ride. Did you have a good time at the party?" She asked.

"What did I tell you about pointless conversation?" He asked warningly. Bulma smiled a smug smile.

"I'll get right to the point then." She leaned in and kissed him, something she had wanted to do since she met him.

Vegeta pulled away cautiously. "I thought you had a boyfriend." Usually that wouldn't be a problem for Vegeta, but in Bulma's case, he remembered seeing her guilt on the morning they met, and he didn't want her to feel that way about him.

"I do. I just don't care about him tonight." Bulma said honestly, but Vegeta knew this was most likely the alcohol talking and she probably wasn't thinking clearly.

"Go home. We'll talk when you're sober." He told her, looking out his window to divert his eyes from her as he realized she would probably be upset now and he didn't want to see that. Bulma hesitated for a moment, then climbed out of the car without a word, angrily slamming the door as Vegeta cringed and started driving away. All the way home he wondered if he just made a mistake. _

"Oh, God!" Goku growled, causing 18 to turn around curiously. She laughed again seeing Chi-Chi reaching her hand into Goku's pants.

"Chi-Chi, you planning on doing him in the backseat, babe?" 18 teased. Krillin looked over his shoulder to see what 18 was talking about.

"Chi-Chi! Stop that!" He scolded. He was starting to feel like a parent with a group of small children. "Here, we're at the diner. Let's get some coffee and get your heads straight." He said as he parked the car. The foursome seated themselves in a booth, and immediately ordered four coffees as well as some breakfast foods. "18, do you know how to get to your house from here?" Krillin asked hopefully.

"Sure. I'll drive." 18 said, already reaching into Krillin's pocket for his keys. He grabbed her hand. "You want to play Chi-Chi and Goku's game?" She giggled. Chi-Chi giggled at 18, then resumed sipping her coffee. Goku was drinking his coffee and eating his breakfast, while thinking of everything unattractive he could come up with to keep his mind off Chi-Chi. 18 gave Krillin directions and they paid the check, heading back to the car.

"Maybe we should switch seats." Goku suggested as he was worried about sitting with Chi-Chi again.

"No point in changing now, Goku. We could walk to 18's house from here. Let's just go." Krillin said as he was getting tired and irritable now. They quickly arrived at 18's and Krillin helped her into her house. She told him the way to her room, and he led her to the bed, taking her shoes off her and tucking her in caringly.

"Thanks, Krillin." 18 said as she laid back comfortably. He caressed her face for a moment, admiring her beauty.

"Goodnight, 18." Krillin said with a smile, turning away until something pulled him back. 18 had grabbed his wrist.

"Goodnight, Krillin." She said as she pulled him close and kissed his cheek. Krillin put his hand to his cheek, looking at her in surprise until she fell back into her pillow, finally falling asleep. Krillin locked up her apartment and left. He returned to the car unsurprised to find Goku and Chi-Chi making out again. He was just happy they were only kissing now, and he only had one more stop before he could finally get home. He started the car and drove out of the parking lot.

"So, Chi-Chi, which way to your place?" He asked, expecting a quick answer.

"Oh, no. I'm not going back there tonight. _He's _going to be there. I want Goku to take me home with him." She said as she smiled at Goku, expecting him to agree.

"Uh...Chi-Chi, I don't think that's such a good idea." Krillin warned.

"We can't make her go where she doesn't want to, Krillin. Why don't you just drive home and I can let her sleep in my bed." Goku stated simply.

"Goku! This girl is really drunk! You just met her. You can't be serious." Krillin reprimanded his friend while shaking his head as he turned the car to head for home.

"I'm not going to sleep with her, Krillin. I'll sleep on the couch." Goku said decisively. Chi-Chi smirked at Goku, but he ignored her. When they got home, Krillin offered to help get Chi-Chi into bed, but Goku told him he was fine doing it himself. Krillin said goodnight, finally ready for bed, while Goku showed Chi-Chi to his room, helping her into his bed. She kissed him and groped him while he laid her down, but he soothed her to go to sleep.

"Come on, Goku. Just climb into bed with me." Chi-Chi enticed, but Goku just caressed her face as he sat on the bed.

"Not tonight, Chi-Chi. If you still want to in the morning we'll do it." He said with a grin, as he hoped that would stop her pushing, and knew she'd be forgetting all about this in the morning.

"Alright. Goodnight." She said, nodding off. Goku grabbed a blanket and a pillow, laying himself on the couch for a restless night of sleep with the woman sleeping in his bed on his mind. _


	5. Three's Company

Three's Company

Goku awoke the next morning to the sound of a cabinet door slamming, making his head throb. He sat up, holding his head, and looked into the kitchen to see Vegeta packing some food away. 

"Ow, could you keep it down, Vegeta?" He asked as Vegeta turned to him with an annoyed look on his face. 

"Why are you sleeping on the couch, Kakarot?" Vegeta groaned as he sat down on the other couch. 

"We have company. Chi-Chi. She was really drunk last night and didn't want to go home, so I let her stay here." Goku said as he lay back on the couch. Vegeta glanced down the hall towards Goku's closed door curiously.

"And you didn't fuck her? She must be ugly." He said assuredly.

Goku shook his head. "She was really wasted. She had no idea what she was doing last night." Goku sat up and started massaging his throbbing temples. "Bulma was in pretty bad shape. You have any problems with her last night?" 

"No." Vegeta said, looking towards Goku's door again. "What are you going to do about that woman?"

"I don't know." Goku shrugged as he stood and headed for the kitchen, rifling through the cabinets for aspirin. "I'll have to wait until she gets up and see what she wants to do."Goku said, grinning to himself as he recalled last night's promise to Chi-Chi. "What are you doing today, Vegeta?" Vegeta looked around the living room. He had hoped to stay home and relax for the day, but knowing that Goku had a woman over for an indefinite amount of time today, decided he wanted to get out of there. 

"I'm going out for the day." Vegeta said as he collected his things and grabbed his keys, heading out the door. Goku sighed in relief. Vegeta leaving would make dealing with Chi-Chi easier today. He swallowed his aspirin, then filled a cup of water and brought the cup and more aspirin into his room, carefully opening the door so as not to disturb Chi-Chi. He placed them on the nightstand while looking at the sleeping girl. She looked so peaceful; he debated whether to wake her. But it was almost noon, and she could be sleeping for hours still. He gently rubbed her arm until she started waking up. She immediately raised her hand to her head and groaned as she felt some nausea coming on. She opened her eyes, surprised to see Goku looking down on her. After a few minutes, she started to recall events from the night before.

"Oh, Goku. I'm so sorry. I'm so embarrassed." She said as she recalled the way she threw herself at him. Goku smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"You really tested me last night. I was drunk, too, you know." He chuckled with relief as he recalled the evening.

"So nothing happened, right?" Chi-Chi asked hesitantly. 

"Well, we made out a lot, and you grabbed me pretty forcefully, but, no. We didn't have sex." Chi-Chi sighed, then looked at the aspirin on the nightstand. 

"Is that for me?" She asked, and Goku nodded, handing her the cup and pills. 

"I already had some. I feel better already. You want some breakfast or-lunch?" He asked as he stood up. He stopped abruptly when Chi-Chi grabbed his hand. 

"Wait. It was so nice of you to take me home and not take advantage of me last night, the least I can do is make you breakfast." She offered. Chi-Chi got up and headed to the bathroom for a moment before setting to work in the kitchen. Goku showered and dressed for the day while she cooked, emerging from the bathroom to the delicious smells of gourmet oatmeal and eggs. He looked in the kitchen to find two settings laid out and Chi-Chi cleaning the dishes she had used to cook. They sat to eat together, Chi-Chi smiling nervously while Goku was just excited to taste the food. As they ate, Chi-Chi apprehensively anticipated Goku's appraisal of the meal. He gave her a big smile that she found irresistible. 

"I never knew oatmeal could taste this good! And these are the best eggs I've ever had!" He beamed, truly impressed. "You can stay at my place anytime. This is worth a night on the couch." Chi-Chi laughed. 

"Oh, come on. It's just oatmeal and eggs. You didn't have much food in the kitchen or I could've made you something better." She smiled again and reached for the dishes, when Goku grabbed her shoulder and pushed her back into her seat. 

"I'll get those. Thank you for breakfast, Chi-Chi." He said as he put the dishes in the sink. He turned his back to the counter and leaned against it, just staring at her for a minute. 

"I, uh, better get cleaned up. Do you mind?" Chi-Chi asked as she gestured towards the bathroom. 

"Of course not." Goku said, and he showed her where the towels were, asking if she needed anything. Of course Chi-Chi would like a change of clothes, but Goku didn't have anything that would fit her, so she settled for what she had to work with. When she came out of the bathroom, Goku looked at her hesitantly, unsure of what they should do now. He hoped Chi-Chi would stay longer.  
Chi-Chi came into the living room and sat on the couch with Goku. The proximity was a reminder for both of them of the car ride together.

Chi-Chi spoke first. "So, you have a roommate here?" 

"Yeah, Vegeta. He left before you woke up. He's 18's ex, I think he's the reason she was upset last night." Goku informed Chi-Chi.

"Oh!" Chi-Chi said in understanding.

"What were you upset about last night? If you don't mind me asking." Goku asked hesitantly.

"My boyfriend, well ex-boyfriend now, cheated on me and I caught him in the act." She answered angrily.

"So you're not going to work it out?" Goku asked, trying not to sound hopeful.

"No!" She said just before a realization hit her. "Shit! We were living together. I need to find a new place to live. What am I going to do?" She fretted as she anxiously ran her fingers through her hair. Goku thought for a moment, then lit up with an idea.

"You can stay here in the meantime. I mean, we only have the two bedrooms, but I don't mind sleeping on the couch for a little while if you'll cook for us." Chi-Chi smiled euphorically at Goku.

"That would be wonderful! Are you sure Vegeta won't mind?" She asked more to be polite than out of concern.

"Nah. I mean, Vegeta always says he minds, but I know he'll be fine with this, especially once he tastes your cooking." Goku said with certainty. 

Chi-Chi spent the rest of the day packing her few belongings from her old place and moving them to Goku's room, happy that her ex was not home and she didn't have to see him. That night, Vegeta came home from working and studying, intensely pissed off with his roommate for the news he dropped on him when he walked in.

"Kakarot, I've been away all day waiting for you to send that woman home, and now you're telling me you let her move in?" He seethed once they were out of Chi-Chi's earshot.

Goku did his best to argue for allowing Chi-Chi to stay but Vegeta insisted on Goku telling her she needed to find somewhere else to stay. They walked out of Vegeta's room where they had been arguing to find Chi-Chi cooking dinner. Goku called Chi-Chi's name and was ready to tell her the bad news, when Vegeta slapped his hand across Goku's chest, indicating for him to hold off.

Never having given a formal introduction when he stormed into the apartment at the sight of her presence earlier, Vegeta said, "I'm Vegeta." He eyed the magnificent smelling baked chicken and mashed potatoes Chi-Chi had prepared. "It looks like we'll be roommates for a short time." He said with a frown as he sat down, ready to eat. Goku laughed and sat down happily, Chi-Chi giving Goku a questioning look, but shaking it off and serving dinner nonetheless.

That night, Chi-Chi couldn't thank Goku and Vegeta enough for letting her crash there for a while. A while after going to bed, Chi-Chi couldn't sleep. She felt so guilty about taking Goku's bed while he was stuck on the couch that she couldn't rest. After a few hours, she went out to the living room, hoping Goku hadn't fallen asleep on the couch. She found him tossing and turning, looking rather uncomfortable. "Goku?" She called, hoping not to surprise him. He stopped his movements and turned his head up to look in her direction.

"What is it, Chi-Chi?" He asked.

"I, uh, have a problem with the sleeping arrangements." She said as she sat on the couch by his feet.

"You too?" He asked as they both laughed.

"There's room for both of us in your bed." She said, hoping she wasn't coming across as being too forward after her behavior last night.

"Are you sure?" Goku asked warily.

"I'm sure now that we're tired and not drunk, we can share a bed without causing each other any problems, right?" Chi-Chi asked.

"I'm not going to argue. I think the only time I can sleep on this couch is when I'm drunk. Let's go to sleep." He said, allowing Chi-Chi to lead the way. They lay on opposite sides of the bed, keeping their distance, but tossing and turning as they struggled to sleep. Chi-Chi finally found sleep, while Goku continued struggling, knowing he was in for a sleepless night.


	6. Deciding Factors

Deciding Factors

To her displeasure, Chi-Chi awoke again shortly after falling asleep. She turned over and tried to fall asleep again, to no avail. After a while, Chi-Chi growled in frustration, causing Goku, who was still awake, to look at her.

"I can't think about sleeping with you in my bed." Goku said, finally voicing what had been troubling both of them.

"Me neither." Chi-Chi said, rolling to face him. They looked at each other for a moment, carefully reading each other's expressions. Hesitantly, Goku leaned into Chi-Chi, until she pulled him in the rest of the way and they kissed passionately until Chi-Chi pulled away.

"I might have been drunk last night, but I really did want you. Not for revenge or a rebound. I just want you." She said. That was all the invitation Goku needed.

Goku wrapped his arms around Chi-Chi and pulled her into him as they kissed again. She ran her fingers through his hair and moaned into his mouth as she gyrated her hips against his. He ran his hands down the sides of her thighs then back up to grab her ass. He started placing kisses down her neck, then found a sweet spot and sucked on it, causing Chi-Chi to throw her head back and sigh. She ran her nails lightly over his muscular back and grabbed his ass, then found his lips with hers and resumed kissing him passionately. He pulled her nightgown up to reach for her panties, and tugged them down until Chi-Chi kicked them off. Goku reached between Chi-Chi's thighs and massaged her clit, Chi-Chi gasping in pleasure. She slid her hands under his waistband, easing his pants down. Goku kicked off his pants and broke away from Chi-Chi to reach the nightstand drawer, finding a condom. He put it on and climbed over Chi-Chi, settling between her warm thighs.

They kissed again, Goku plunging his tongue into her mouth as he entered her slowly. He thrust into her with delicious slowness, Chi-Chi arching her back as she felt her climax coming on. She muffled her scream into his shoulder, and he quickened the pace, feeling his desire building with every stroke against Chi-Chi's tight walls. As he continued kissing her, Chi-Chi felt Goku hitting her g-spot and the sensation was driving her insane. He called her name as he found his release, and she climaxed with him. They kissed and continued to ride out their pleasure for a moment, feeling absolutely perfect together. Goku quickly disposed of the condom and cleaned up, pulling his pants back on and returning to bed with Chi-Chi. They had no trouble sleeping after that. _

Bulma awoke to find a message on her cell phone. She checked her messages to hear Yamcha promising to come in a few days and make the weekend special for them. She had been looking forward to this visit for the past month, up until her night with Goku, which threatened to end their relationship and severely dampened her desire for Yamcha. Then she had the kiss with Vegeta and found it even harder to be excited to see Yamcha.

She sat in her bed studying a photo of her and Yamcha together from their high school days, wishing their relationship was the same as it used to be. But remembering those days made her determined to make the best of Yamcha's visit in a few days. Bulma looked at the clock and realized it was time to get ready for class and pick up 18. They had a lot of classes together as they were two of the very few females majoring in biomechanical engineering. After getting ready she headed to her car, pausing there as she looked at the apartment building next door. She couldn't stop thinking about Vegeta for some reason. She tried to push him out of her mind and think more of Yamcha instead, but there was just something about Vegeta that she was having trouble letting go of. She sighed and threw her bags in the car, sitting down and starting it to head for 18's house. _

18 was ready and waiting for Bulma, wondering what was taking her so long. 18's two roommates that shared the house with her, her twin brother 17 and their cousin 16, were also majoring in BME and taking this class with them, and had already left for class about ten minutes ago, offering her a ride which she refused. Right now she was kicking herself for not taking it. She headed outside and locked up, planning to jump right in the car with Bulma as soon as she showed. Finally, she saw Bulma's car pull into the driveway.

"What the hell took you so long?" 18 complained as she climbed in the car.

"Sorry, 18. I guess 17 and 16 left already, huh?" 18 nodded and sighed, looking out the window. "I guess I was daydreaming a little. Sorry, _won't do it again_." Bulma said in a cutesy voice that 18 hated, but always made her forget about being angry at Bulma.

"Daydreaming, huh?" 18 said, raising an eyebrow at Bulma. "About Goku? Vegeta? _Yamcha_?" She said the last name with a tone of disdain.

Bulma looked at her for a moment and laughed. "First of all, it doesn't always have to be about a guy."

"Yes it does." 18 quickly interrupted with a sly smile.

"Secondly," Bulma continued, "I don't think about Goku like that. He doesn't think of me, either. We're just friends, that was a one-time deal."

"Really? So he's fair game? Maybe I'll give him a try. Then again, maybe I'll wait a while before pursuing another guy. The last time Vegeta screwed me up." 18 said resentfully.

"You mean the night of Tien's party? That's why you were outside drinking with that other girl? Vegeta rejected you?" Bulma asked in surprise. She remembered 18 telling her Vegeta was an asshole at the time, but never knew the reasoning behind it. 18 nodded in confirmation. "I'm sorry, 18." Bulma said sympathetically, though a selfish part of her felt happy about this news.

"Yeah, me and my dear friend Chi-Chi drank away our misery. I wonder what happened to her. Hopefully things worked out better for her than me." 18 said quietly.

"You'll find someone perfect for you, 18. I know it. Not to sound cliché or anything." Bulma amended as she realized that sounded cheesy. 18 gave Bulma a disbelieving look, raising her eyebrows and smirking.

"So, Yamcha and Vegeta, huh?" 18 asked, changing the subject as Bulma parked the car on campus.

"What?" Bulma asked, not following her friend.

"You only refused to be thinking of Goku. So you're thinking of those other two. I really think you need to get over Yamcha. But moving on with Vegeta I don't recommend. After my experience with him, I think you'd be dooming yourself." 18 advised, slamming the car door and joining Bulma in a brisk walk to class.

"There is nothing going on with me and Vegeta. I just think about him a lot lately. I can't stop, actually." Bulma opened the door to class, slipping in quietly with 18 as they were about ten minutes late and the lecture had already began. They sat down and focused on class, ending their conversation. _

Krillin sat in his Human Sexuality class struggling to focus on the lecture. Usually he enjoyed this class, it was the most interesting one he'd been required to take for his psychology major. But the subject matter of the lecture led him to thinking about Maron. He still could not believe that she slept with Vegeta and told Goku their relationship was open, when they had just recently agreed to be exclusive. He had considered the possibility that she forgot. He knew Maron could be flighty sometimes. But when he talked to Goku after finding out the news, Goku made it clear that she was pretty determined, and Krillin couldn't forgive her for pursuing other guys. He already broke up with her, but she tried getting back together, and they slept together again last night. Krillin had been having a moment of weakness and Maron was coming on strong. He chuckled to himself, thinking of the drive home after Tien's party. He didn't know how Goku managed to resist Chi-Chi like he did. He knew if it was him he would have done whatever she wanted. Thinking of that car ride again led Krillin to thinking about 18, how she had been a lot of fun to ride next to. He couldn't forget the way she caressed his chest in the car and kissed him goodnight. He wanted to see her again. He decided he'd plan some sort of get together and invite Bulma and 18. He returned his focus to the lecture with a struggle. _

Vegeta woke up on Saturday and headed into the living room, seeing the couch set up with Goku's usual pillow and blanket, but no Goku. He looked at Goku's bedroom door and rolled his eyes at the ridiculousness of all this. He knew about them from the first morning all three of them shared breakfast. Their body language could not be more obvious, despite the fact that Vegeta had actually found Goku lying on the couch that morning as if he'd slept there. And she had been there almost a week now with no signs of apartment hunting that Vegeta could see. The greatest indication was that Chi-Chi never flirted or hit on him, something he would expect a woman to do that lived with him and was not involved. He couldn't understand why they were trying to hide it. They must think he's an idiot, he thought to himself. Even so, it's not like he cared either way. He turned his head at the sound of Goku's bedroom door opening to see Goku come out, seemingly startled by Vegeta's presence in the living room. Vegeta ignored his roommate and lit a cigarette.

"Morning, Vegeta. I was just looking for a pair of shoes in there. I'm glad I didn't wake Chi-Chi." Goku whispered, just loud enough for Vegeta to hear from his distance down the hall.

"Sure. Guess you didn't find them, huh?" Vegeta asked, looking at Goku's empty hands.

"Find what?" Goku asked.

"You just said you were looking for shoes. I don't see any shoes, Kakarot." Vegeta said, smirking at Goku.

"Oh, yeah, you're right. I didn't find them. Just have to stick with the usual pair I guess." Goku said uncomfortably as he headed into the bathroom. Vegeta sat smoking and reading with his feet on the coffee table, in peace and quiet for a few minutes, then Chi-Chi emerged from the room, fully dressed and also startled to see him.

"Good morning, Vegeta." She said with a smile, playing off her surprise much better than Goku had.

"I guess he did wake you then." Vegeta said, raising his eyebrow at Chi-Chi's neat attire.

"What? Oh…yeah. Goku…woke me up." Chi-Chi said doubtfully, then headed back into the room self-consciously and shut the door. Vegeta laughed to himself. He didn't know why they were behaving this way, but he did enjoy watching them squirm. _

Bulma bit her lip as she anxiously awaited a knock on her door. She had spent the morning primping herself and carefully choosing something attractive but casual to wear today. Now she just needed him to show. He was already running late, as he told her when he called twenty minutes ago. Bulma couldn't stop herself from worrying that the cause of his tardiness was another girl. She sighed, thinking she might go in her room and study until he gets here, but then she heard the knock. He knocked with their secret knock that they made up in high school together. She ran to the door, giggling excitedly.

"Yamcha! You're finally here." She said as she opened the door, seeing her boyfriend looking charming and well dressed as he greeted her with his characteristic half-smile. He kissed her with a yearning that had her convinced that he couldn't have been with another girl earlier. Wasting no time, they headed to the bedroom, ready to indulge in the passion they had deprived each other of for the past month.

"I've missed you so much, Bulma!" Yamcha said as he pulled his shirt off, then kissed Bulma deeply. He reached under her shirt, running his hands up her sides, grabbing her breasts with both hands as she licked his lips and moaned. He lifted the shirt over her head, and Bulma pulled down her skirt and panties, as he pulled off his pants. He removed his boxers and pushed her back on the bed, climbing on top of her before Bulma yelled for him to stop.

"What?" Yamcha yelled, panting with desire.

"Forgetting something?" Bulma asked, gesturing towards his erection. He looked dumbfounded, so she groaned, "Where's the condom?"

"Oh, yeah, hold on." Yamcha said as he climbed off the bed and found his pants, reaching into the pocket and pulling out the package. He put it on and climbed back on top of Bulma. He kissed her again as she grabbed his ass and he entered her. Yamcha groaned and held still for a moment once he was inside her, then quickly thrust in and out. Bulma had been waiting for this moment with her boyfriend, waiting to be together with him again. But as he continued driving in and out of her, she found her mind wandering. She was reliving the experience she had with Goku in her mind, having trouble not comparing Yamcha to him. She found herself picturing Vegeta on top of her rather than Yamcha. She shook those thoughts away, trying to focus on being with her boyfriend. She flipped him over and climbed on top of him, needing a new position as she felt like she was losing sensation the way they had been. As she watched him below her, she couldn't help picturing him doing this with someone else. She still had those distrustful feelings that maybe he cheated again, maybe he was still cheating. He had an insecure expression on his face and Bulma felt guilty for the way she was thinking. He asked her to get off him for a moment, and when she did, he got up, flipping her around so he could enter her from behind. Yamcha thrust repeatedly, increasing speed, until he yelled out and trembled, and Bulma knew he finished. She looked over her shoulder at him after a moment. He frowned at her and pulled out, heading to the bathroom to clean up.

Bulma climbed off the bed and got dressed, wondering what was wrong between them. She had always enjoyed sex with Yamcha. Of course, until Goku, he was the only man she'd ever had sex with. Yamcha returned to the room, gathering his clothes as he watched Bulma warily.

"You couldn't cum?" Yamcha asked with worry all over his face.

"I'm sorry, Yamcha." Bulma said as she shook her head. "I don't know what's wrong with me, really. I don't think my head was in the right place for this." She knew those were weak excuses, but really did not know what else to say.

"Was he bigger than me? Is that it?" Yamcha asked self-consciously. "Were you thinking about that guy you were with a couple weeks ago? You're not still seeing him, are you?" He questioned as his tone changed to one of jealousy.

"Enough of the interrogation, Yamcha! I've been waiting to see _you_. I'm sorry I had a moment of weakness, but you're certainly not one to be judging." Bulma seethed at Yamcha's accusation.

"Oh, is that what this is about? You're still jealous about me cheating? Was your affair an attempt at revenge? Huh?" Yamcha yelled at Bulma as she turned her face away with tears in her eyes, refusing to talk to him. Yamcha sighed and finished putting on his clothes. "Bulma." Bulma turned her face to look at him, feeling that something terrible was happening now. "I can't do this anymore. If you're not going to communicate with me, and we are living so far apart… I've always loved you…" Yamcha trailed off.

"I've always loved you, too, Yamcha. But I don't think I can trust you anymore, I don't think I can trust myself anymore, honestly. I don't want to get hurt again and I don't want to hurt you." Bulma said as realization dawned on her that Yamcha was having the same feelings she was.

"Maybe it's for the best then, that we stop seeing each other." Yamcha said sadly, looking down. Bulma looked at him in shock. She had never expected this to happen. They had worked through it when he cheated on her, and held their relationship together through many tough times. There was not really one event that happened now that could be the cause of their relationship ending. But Bulma believed it had been deteriorating slowly since the cheating began.

"But, Yamcha. You just got here. You're supposed to be spending the weekend with me. I don't want you to go. Do you think you can stand to hang around with me and my friends for the weekend?" Bulma asked Yamcha with a genuine smile, hoping they could work things out as friends.

Yamcha looked up, smiling at Bulma weakly. "Thanks for the offer, Bulma. But I think I need to spend some time alone for a while." Yamcha said as he gathered the rest of his things. "We'll be alright, Bulma. I still love you." He said as he gave her a kiss on the cheek. Bulma smiled at him with tears in her eyes, then gave him a big hug.

"I still love you, too, Yamcha. You'll have to come visit me again sometime, on a better note. Okay?" She asked. Yamcha nodded, stepped out her front door, and waved. He headed to his car and sat down in the driver's seat with the engine running. He took a picture from his wallet of him and Bulma on the night of their fifth anniversary. He placed it in the glove compartment where he would not see it again for a while, then with a heavy heart, set out to drive all the way back home. He couldn't bring himself to tell Bulma that he had cheated on her several times, he didn't want to hurt her more than he already had. He was just relieved that Bulma wanted to end things, or this would have been much harder. He hoped they could continue loving each other as friends. _


	7. Impending Exposure

Impending Exposure

Vegeta was studying in his living room with the music on. He always studied with music, it seemed to help him concentrate. There was something cacophonous about this song though which bothered him. He had heard it many times before, but it had never sounded like this. He grabbed the control and muted the song to hear another tune that had been clashing with his music. He looked to the kitchen counter, seeing Goku's cell phone that he apparently left home when he headed out for the evening. Vegeta got up to see who had called, as the phone had stopped ringing by now, and he figured Goku was calling it to find where he lost the damn thing as he was constantly doing. He was surprised when he looked at the screen to see a missed call from Bulma. He shrugged and turned his music back on, heading to his study spot again, when the ringtone started up again. He growled in annoyance and turned off his music for the second time, turning to the phone fast enough now to answer it.

"Bulma. Kakarot left his phone at home." Vegeta told her gruffly as he wanted to get back to studying. When he was just about to hang up, he heard Bulma call his name. He hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly put the phone back to his ear.

"Vegeta…" Bulma repeated, trailing off as she was not sure how to continue.

"Yes?" Vegeta asked impatiently. "Is there something you want?" He growled.

"Nevermind." Bulma said, regretting trying to talk to Vegeta.

"Wait." Vegeta said before she could hang up. He didn't know why he did it, but something in the way her voice sounded, seemed like she needed him at the moment. "What is it?" He asked, with patience this time.

Bulma took a breath and exhaled deeply. "I just, I was calling Goku because I needed to talk to someone, but I…I don't want to be alone right now. Do you think you could come over? Please?" Bulma asked. She knew she was asking a lot. The type of consoling she was seeking was not what she expected Vegeta to be capable of. Just to have his company would be better than being alone right now, though.

Vegeta looked back at his books. He really needed to study this weekend, but supposed he could finish the rest tomorrow. After a few moments of silence, Bulma almost thought he hung up on her until she heard, "I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

She looked at the clock after hanging up, realizing he would get there around 9:20. She had been watching romantic comedies on the couch and calling her girlfriends to tell them about her breakup since Yamcha left. They were all busy, or not answering their phones today, which is why she resorted to the movies, and then calling Goku. She still had a movie playing, about halfway through, and her eyes were swollen from the tears she had cried during the day. She hastily cleaned up the apartment as well as herself, hoping Vegeta would not see how pitiful she looked.

Vegeta knocked on Bulma's apartment door, already doubting his agreement to come over. She opened it and welcomed him in shyly. He looked at her, considering for a moment telling her that this was a mistake. But then he figured he already came this far, why waste the trip? He walked inside and seated himself on her couch.

"If you want me to stay here for one more second, you need to turn that shit off." Vegeta complained with a scowl as he saw the romantic comedy Bulma had been watching on TV.

"You think this is shit, Vegeta?" Bulma asked in mock surprise. "I thought you might enjoy this type of show." She didn't intend to be rude to him when he was going out of his way to come over for her, but her temper got ahead of her when she reacted to rudeness. She picked up the remote and turned off the TV.

Vegeta looked at Bulma questioningly after that, not saying anything. He figured she'd want to talk, all he needed to do was wait. Bulma gulped as she knew he was waiting for an explanation, and she really didn't know what to tell him. Finally, she figured she'd start by offering him something to eat or drink. He quickly shot that down. She sat on the couch next to him.

"So," she started, thinking she should start with the facts. "I saw Yamcha today."

"Who?" Vegeta asked drearily as he picked some lint off his pants, wearing a bored expression on his face.

"My boyfriend. The reason you wouldn't kiss me back the other night. You remember that, don't you?" Bulma said bitingly.

Vegeta looked her in the eyes, then smirked at her. "Having a bit of a temper tonight?" He asked, intending to add fuel to the fire. He liked when she got feisty like this. After he was sufficiently satisfied with watching Bulma fume quietly to herself with no retort, he asked "So what?"

"So what?" Bulma repeated in disbelief. Vegeta raised his eyebrows, indicating he was still awaiting an explanation. "So we broke up. People are usually upset when a six year relationship ends." She complained as she realized she should not be expecting sympathy from Vegeta. Just as she realized it, he proved it to her.

"I'd be happy about it. When's the last time you saw him before today?" Vegeta asked as he acquired information to prove his point.

"Uh, about five weeks ago." Bulma answered in confusion.

"Five weeks?! I think I'd go insane if I needed to abstain for five weeks at a time for the last six years. No wonder you went home with Kakarot. Was that really the first time you cheated?" Vegeta asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, it was the first time." Bulma replied touchily. "With an attitude like yours, it's amazing you ever get a girl to take you seriously in a relationship. I feel sorry for whoever settles down with you."

"No. You'd envy that woman." Vegeta said arrogantly as he shot Bulma a sexy smile. Bulma's mouth dropped in shock at Vegeta's ego.

"You're so full of yourself!" Bulma said as she stood up.

"And you're not?" Vegeta asked. Bulma looked at him incredulously. "You walk around like you own the place wherever you go. You know you're sexy, and you're not afraid to show it. And you flaunt your intellect." Vegeta stood up right in front of Bulma. "I like it. There's nothing wrong with being proud." Vegeta said as he looked in her eyes intensely. Bulma couldn't believe what she was feeling right now. It was like there was a magnetism drawing her to Vegeta. He felt it too, and he cupped her chin in his hand while she looked at him longingly. Bulma kissed Vegeta passionately, knowing there was nothing to come between them now.

Bulma wrapped her arms around Vegeta's neck and pulled herself closer to him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and gently lifted her for a moment as they continued kissing, their tongues swirling together in a lustful fervor. Vegeta lowered Bulma to sit on the couch facing him and bent down with her. They continued kissing as Bulma caressed his face and he joined her on the couch, leaning over her without losing contact with her lips. Vegeta reached under Bulma's shirt and grabbed her breast, kneading it in his hand as he sighed into the kiss. Bulma felt a bulge rub against her thigh, and reached down to stroke it. Vegeta shifted his body, needing more than Bulma's hand as he rubbed his bulge between her legs. Bulma untied his sweatpants, and Vegeta leaned back on his knees, his pants dropping to expose his erection to her. Bulma sat forward and grabbed Vegeta's shaft. She placed her lips on it, causing him to groan before she took him completely in her mouth, sucking on him until he felt he was getting too close and pushed her away so he could work on her first. He reached under her skirt and pulled down her panties, then used his hands to spread her thighs as he started licking and sucking her most tender area, driving Bulma mad with desire. She yelled out Vegeta's name when the sensation of cumming hit her. He immediately grabbed her hips and forcefully turned her around, thrusting into her from behind as she bent over the couch. He repeatedly slammed into her forcefully, only thinking of himself now that she came already. He yelled out when he finally met his release, and the feel of his seed spilling into her made Bulma cum with him as well. They shivered as they felt the aftershocks of what they'd done, then cleaned themselves up and settled on the couch together, Bulma nestling into Vegeta's warm chest as he wrapped his arm over Bulma's shoulder. Bulma realized this was not going to go over well with 18, and hoped she did not just destroy a friendship by getting involved with Vegeta. But 18 never told Bulma that she'd be upset with her for getting involved with him, she just warned against it. So maybe she wouldn't have a problem with it. Bulma was also worried about the fact that Vegeta didn't wear a condom, which she was just now realizing. They spent a while relaxing like that with their own thoughts to themselves. Bulma thanked Vegeta for coming over and offered for him to stay the night, but he insisted that he needed to get home tonight. They had one last kiss goodnight as he left, neither of them sure how far they were going to take this. _

Krillin knocked on the door and tapped his foot as he waited. He looked down the hallway to see his landlord unlocking a neighbor's apartment and heading inside. Krillin looked down and chuckled. That apartment belonged to two female college students who were rumored to be lesbians, very attractive lesbians. No doubt the old man was up to no good, snooping around in there while they were out. He knocked again, getting impatient at having no answer. This time, the door opened immediately. Goku stood in the doorway, casually eating a banana as he greeted Krillin.

"Hey, Krillin, come in! What's going on? Haven't seen you in a while." Goku said as he and Krillin headed to the living room to sit on the couches.

"Yeah, I've just been busy writing a lot of papers lately. This week I've been swamped. But my schedule's lightening up after this week, and I wanted to do something fun." Krillin said as he nervously wrung his hands together, thinking of what he wanted to ask Goku about.

"Yeah, I've been pretty busy too." Goku said as he seemed to stop himself, like he was being careful not to mention something. "So you have something in mind for this 'fun'?" Goku asked as he left the couch to throw away his banana peel.

"Yeah!" Krillin said excitedly, inching forward on the couch. "I'm hosting a game of strip poker in my apartment on Saturday night, I wanted to invite you guys." As Krillin spoke, Vegeta walked in the front door, just getting home from class.

"Hey, Vegeta!" Goku greeted quickly as he returned to Krillin with a doubtful expression. "Strip poker, huh? Who else are you inviting?"

Vegeta laughed mockingly. "Strip poker? _You're_ hosting a game of strip poker? Please tell me you are inviting some women." Vegeta said as he poured himself a glass of water in the kitchen.

Krillin glared at Vegeta, not at all liking being mocked. "I am inviting women. Not Maron, of course, but I was wondering if you had Bulma's number, I could call her and invite her and, uh, 18." Goku noticed Krillin blush when he mentioned 18.

"You like 18, don't you, Krillin?" Goku guessed as he put his feet up on the coffee table.

"Yeah, maybe. I mean, I know I want to see her again. Do you have Bulma's number or not, Goku?" Krillin asked impatiently.

"Yeah, I can give you her number. You can get 18's from Bulma. But I don't know, I'm not sure if I'm interested, Krillin." Goku said thoughtfully as he pulled his phone out of his pocket, scrolling for Bulma's number.

Vegeta headed into the living room, leaning his back against a wall as he spoke. "Why not, Kakarot? Afraid you'll lose?" Vegeta asked challengingly. Goku looked up from the phone for a moment, meeting Vegeta's challenging gaze.

"Hey, you're invited, too, Vegeta." Krillin put in, hoping Vegeta at least would agree to come. Krillin knew he was more likely to get a yes from Bulma and 18 if he could tell them that Goku and Vegeta would be there.

"You said you're inviting Bulma and 18? I guess I'm in, then." Vegeta said with a noncommittal shrug. Usually he didn't like these types of gatherings, but he did not like the idea of Bulma playing strip poker without him there. They weren't committed to each other yet, but he was feeling possessive of her already. "I'm an excellent poker player, anyways." Vegeta said as he walked into his bedroom.

Goku continued to consider the idea, but still was not sure he wanted to play. He gave Bulma's number to Krillin, and wished him luck with 18. Then he showed Krillin out, letting him know he'd get back to him with an answer soon.

Krillin left, preparing to call Bulma's number as he was heading back into his apartment, but he looked up from his phone when he noticed movement out of his peripheral vision down the hallway, taking a glance as he was expecting to see the landlord or another neighbor from their hall. Who he was not expecting to see was Chi-Chi.

"Chi-Chi?" Krillin asked as he walked towards her, pocketing his phone.

"Uh, hi." Chi-Chi said hesitantly, not remembering Krillin from the other night.

Krillin noticed that he needed to jog her memory. "Tien's party. I drove you, Goku, and 18 home. Krillin." Krillin said as he gestured to himself as if he was a very important person from that night.

"Oh!" Chi-Chi said as she blushed. "Sorry, I don't remember that night too well. I'm kinda thankful for that. I was making a fool of myself." Chi-Chi said as she smiled sheepishly at Krillin.

"Hey, I understand." Krillin said with a genuine, friendly smile. "I found out that same night that my girlfriend was cheating on me, so I understand how you feel."

"Well, I don't feel bad about it anymore." Chi-Chi said abruptly, stopping herself before she went on to say something else.

Krillin narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously, then looked towards Goku and Vegeta's apartment. "So what are you doing here, Chi-Chi? I didn't think I'd see you again."

Chi-Chi realized what Krillin suspected, and she couldn't blame him. The way she was acting that night, she was amazed that she didn't sleep with Goku that night. How could she expect him to believe that she didn't? Especially now that she _was_ sleeping with him, as well as living with him. She sighed and decided to give Krillin the best explanation she could muster.

"I moved out of the house I shared with my boyfriend the day after the party. I didn't have anywhere to go, so Goku offered that I could stay with him and Vegeta for a while until I found my own place. So, I live here." Chi-Chi answered with a shrug.

"Oh. Really?" Krillin said in surprise. "Vegeta agreed to that?"

"Yeah, I think it's my cooking that got me in." Chi-Chi said. Krillin rubbed his head thoughtfully. "That was two weeks ago. You haven't found an apartment yet?"

"Yeah, well, I'm looking." Chi-Chi said as she held up a newspaper with rental listings that had been tucked under her arm.

"Okay." Krillin said slowly, feeling a little unsure about the situation. "Well, you remember 18 and Bulma from the party that night?" Chi-Chi nodded thoughtfully and then confirmed she did as she remembered them both. "I'm having a strip poker party in my apartment, right next door to yours on Saturday night. I'm inviting them as well as Goku and Vegeta, and now that you're here, I'd like to invite you, too."

"Strip poker? Sounds like fun. Sure, Goku and I will be there." Chi-Chi said casually.

"Actually, Goku just told me he didn't know if he was coming or not. Are you two involved?" Krillin asked, convinced they must be for Chi-Chi to be speaking on Goku's behalf.

Chi-Chi realized her slip-up and really wished she hadn't said that right now. "No, no relationship. We're just roommates. Just like Vegeta. I meant to say Goku, Vegeta and I will be there, speaking for my roommates, because I know we were all keeping Saturday night open, that's all." Chi-Chi hurriedly spat out her cover-up, making her way to her apartment door. "I'll talk to Goku, though. Don't worry; I'll make sure he comes, too." Chi-Chi said with a smile, waving to Krillin as she walked into the apartment. Krillin frowned in confusion; that was certainly strange. He returned to making his phone call, feeling confident that he could talk Bulma and 18 into coming as well if they didn't already have other plans.


	8. Pokerface

Pokerface

Chi-Chi hung up the phone, shaking her head, as Goku rubbed her back consolingly.  
"I'm changing my number. He won't stop calling!" Chi-Chi complained as she climbed out of bed. Goku gave her a look that she was not too happy about. "What is that look for?" She snapped at him more harshly than intended.

"I can't say I blame him, Chi-Chi. I know you caught him red-handed, but aside from breaking up with him over the phone, you never really gave the guy a chance to explain himself. I wouldn't stop calling you." Goku explained calmly. At that last phrase, Chi-Chi smiled warmly at Goku.

"That may be true, but I know him. He wouldn't want me back. Not after I told him I'm with a man now who cares for me and satisfies me better than he ever did. He's just calling to torment me." Chi-Chi said as she tossed her phone into her purse on the ground.

"You said that about me?" Goku asked, feeling flattered.

"Who said I was talking about you?" She teased, standing by the bed with her arms crossed. Goku smiled and quickly wrapped his arms around Chi-Chi's waist, pulling her forcefully into the bed. They laughed and Goku started kissing Chi-Chi's neck, unbuttoning her top and trailing kisses down to her breasts as she caressed him lovingly.

"Goku..." Chi-Chi sighed as he pulled her bra aside and traced his tongue around her nipple. She ran her fingers gently down his body, feeling every inch of him. They heard a door slam, and immediately stopped their actions.

"Vegeta." Goku said with a sigh as he flopped back into the mattress.

"Why is he back so early?" Chi-Chi whispered in annoyance as she fastened the buttons Goku had undone.

"I don't know." Goku looked at Chi-Chi thoughtfully for a moment. "We should just tell him, Chi. I'm tired of trying to hide this, and honestly I think he already knows."

"He doesn't know." Chi-Chi scoffed. "If he did, he would say something about it."

"You don't know Vegeta." Goku stated knowingly.

"I hope you're wrong. I don't want your friends all thinking I'm some needy, dependent woman who started sleeping with you the day we met." Chi-Chi fretted. They heard footsteps in the hall, which paused right outside the door, just before they heard a knock. They looked at each other silently, Chi-Chi beckoning with her eyes for Goku to keep his mouth shut. He pleaded with his for her to let him speak. Chi-Chi answered the knock without breaking her gaze at Goku. "Yes?" She answered.

"I'm home early, in case you haven't noticed." She heard Vegeta say irritability through the door. "When are you starting dinner?" The question was demanding, and Chi-Chi knew he expected her in the kitchen already. She fumed and her temper rose as she stormed to the door without thinking, swinging it open forcefully.

"Vegeta! I may be cooking for you, but I am not your slave! There's a-" Chi-Chi cut off her berating as she noticed Vegeta gazing past her with an amused smirk on his face. After smiling at Vegeta, Goku laid back in bed, relieved to not have to hide anything anymore. Chi-Chi was not feeling as good about this.

"Wow. I'm shocked. I had no idea." Vegeta commented, his voice laced with sarcasm.

"V-Vegeta, I..." Chi-Chi started, completely flustered. "You knew?" She finally asked in outrage as realization dawned on her.

"Yes." Vegeta replied, letting the word weigh heavy as Chi-Chi thought back to all the moments she thought they had almost been caught. "Now, there's the matter of my dinner." Vegeta said as he stepped back, giving Chi-Chi room to pass the doorway so she could head to the kitchen. Chi-Chi looked at him dumbfounded, then obediently headed to the kitchen in shock. Vegeta looked back into the room after Chi-Chi was in the kitchen. Goku felt eyes on him and sat up to meet Vegeta's gaze.

"I'm sorry, Kakarot." Vegeta said insincerely. "Did I interrupt something?" He asked with a vicious smirk.

"You know you did." Goku answered as he climbed out of bed regretfully.

"Did you really think I didn't know?" Vegeta asked incredulously. He could understand Chi-Chi thinking she had him fooled, but Goku should have known better. Goku looked up at him from picking his shirt off the ground, rolling his eyes.

"Of course not. But I wanted her to believe we were keeping it a secret. It was important to her."

Vegeta nodded in understanding. "Are you going to Krillin's poker game tomorrow night?" He asked.

"Yeah." Goku said begrudgingly.

Vegeta laughed. "That's right. You always were a lousy poker player. Guess you'll be the first one naked tomorrow." Vegeta said with a laugh as he headed into the kitchen to check on the progress with dinner. Goku followed and sat on a barstool, admiringly watching Chi-Chi cook. He realized his feelings for her were getting serious fast, but he was still trying to protect himself in case she did not feel the same way. _

18 stood staring at the door as she debated with herself whether to knock or walk away. On the one hand, she would love to walk into the apartment and punch Bulma in the face for being such a bitch. She had invited her to play strip poker at Krillin's, a guy she barely remembered, under false pretenses. She failed to mention that Vegeta would be here, whom 18 was not sure she was ready to see again, which Bulma knew all too well. Bulma intended to hide that information from her, probably because she wanted to be sure not to be the only girl here. She did not like the idea of Vegeta watching her strip right now. She didn't know how she'd react to seeing him strip, and didn't want to make a fool of herself. That factor could also be a plus, though, as well as seeing Goku and whatever other hot guys would be here. Krillin was nice, a little short, but she remembered liking the way he looked.

18 suddenly found herself feeling like she jumped a mile in the air when she was startled from her thoughts by a hand clapping down on her shoulder. She whirled around, ready to hit whoever startled her. Before she could, she was already receiving an apology.

"Woah! Sorry, 18. Didn't mean to scare you. It's good to see you." Goku said casually as he knocked on the door, putting an end to 18's internal debate.

Krillin opened the door, happy to see Goku and 18 as he excitedly welcomed them in.  
"I'm so glad you made it. We're going to have some fun tonight, right guys?" Krillin said as he took 18's purse and ushered the two to his plethora of alcohol for them to make a selection.  
18 poured herself some vodka and tonic while looking at a framed painting of a marijuana leaf on the wall just above the bar. She raised an eyebrow at Krillin, who followed her returning gaze to the painting. Krillin chuckled nervously, annoyed with himself. Why did he have to be nervous around her?

"That's my roommate's. He knows more about pot than his major. I don't know how he hasn't dropped out yet."

"Is your roommate playing with us tonight?" 18 sat on a reclining chair as she spoke, but quickly stood back up as she noticed a foul odor emanating from it.

"Yeah, I wouldn't sit there." Krillin said as he wrinkled his nose in disgust. "That's Yajirobe's chair. He's definitely not going to be here tonight. We have an arrangement." Krillin said, showing obvious contempt towards his roommate.

"Yeah," Goku laughed. "They have a schedule, so they don't have to see each other!" Krillin nodded with a scowl on his face as they heard a knock at the door. Krillin quickly answered it while Goku and 18 carried on their own conversation.

"Chi-Chi! Come in!" Krillin welcomed, ushering the girl in that 18 thought she'd never see again after that night at Tien's party.

"Chi-Chi? What the hell are you doing here?" 18 asked excitedly as she gave the girl a big hug. Chi-Chi hugged her back, also happy to see 18 again. If it weren't for 18, she would have been drinking alone that night, getting into who-knows-what-kind-of-trouble, and she would have never met Goku. The two women had really bonded through their pain that night.

"I'm here because Krillin invited me!" Chi-Chi said with a laugh, avoiding explaining her situation at the moment. "Oh! Vegeta says he's going to be a little late, we should start without him." Chi-Chi said as she sat down at the kitchen table with Goku.

"What? We can't start strip poker without somebody. That's like letting the latecomer cheat. The game can't start until everyone's here!" Krillin complained.

"We could just make him strip for every round he missed when he gets here." Goku suggested with a smirk as he snacked on some almonds Krillin had set out on the table.

"Why did Vegeta tell _you_ he's going to be late, Chi-Chi? I didn't even think you knew Vegeta." 18 asked in confusion, wondering what she missed as everyone else seemed unaffected by the information Chi-Chi delivered. Goku and Chi-Chi looked at each other, then at Krillin and 18. Krillin only knew about them living together as 'roommates'. However, they could not expect Vegeta to keep their relationship a secret. Everyone was going to know about it after tonight one way or another. Goku was about to speak, but Chi-Chi hastily spoke first.

"Because we're roommates. Me, Goku and Vegeta. I broke up with my boyfriend after that party, and moved out of the house we shared. Goku was nice enough to let me stay at their place, and I've been staying there until I can find my own apartment." Chi-Chi explained, avoiding any eye contact with Goku as she spoke.

"Which apparently takes longer than three weeks." Krillin added skeptically as he crossed his arms. There was a knock at the door, and Krillin and 18 went to it, greeting Bulma, while Goku pulled Chi-Chi aside to talk to her alone for a moment.

"Chi-Chi." Goku said in a harsh whisper as he led her into another room where no one would hear them. "You know Vegeta's going to tell them later. Why didn't you tell them we were together?"

Chi-Chi looked at Goku in surprise for a moment, not expecting him to say that. They lived together out of convenience and they were sleeping together, but never defined their relationship. Did Goku really think they were seeing each other? "You mean, like a couple?" Chi-Chi asked hopefully.

"I-I don't know." Goku said guardedly. He didn't know what he and Chi-Chi were, but he didn't want to chase her away by seeming too serious too quickly. Chi-Chi felt disappointed in his answer, but pressed on with her original thoughts before their conversation might be interrupted.

"I liked when we were keeping 'us' a secret. It was exciting, sneaking around. I thought maybe we could do it again, until Vegeta gets here." Chi-Chi suggested, hastily placing a kiss on Goku's lips. He grabbed her tight and kissed her back deeply, turned on by her proposition. They heard the voices of their friends gradually heading away from the doorway, so they broke apart, going separate ways to reconvene with the group.

Everyone talked and drank, eating a few finger foods while old friends caught up and new friends got to know one another better. After about ten minutes, Goku excused himself to use the bathroom. Shortly after, Chi-Chi snuck away from the group slowly, as she appeared to be carefully admiring the apartment décor. 18 had noticed her doing so, thinking she must be crazy to admire the décor in this place. Fortunately for Chi-Chi, 18 was very interested in the conversation she was having with Bulma and Krillin about Bulma's most recent experience with seeing Yamcha, so 18 didn't care to question what Chi-Chi was really up to. Chi-Chi found the bathroom, and just as Goku was opening the door to come out, she pushed him back in and locked the door behind her.

They made out furiously and hastily, knowing they didn't have much time. They felt each other up greedily as Goku unbuttoned his pants and Chi-Chi dropped her panties from beneath the black pleated skirt she was wearing tonight. Goku released himself from his pants, nibbling Chi-Chi's lips while fingering her, finding her ready for him. He lifted Chi-Chi by the waist to be seated on the edge of the bathroom counter, and pounded into her. Chi-Chi was so aroused by the situation that she quickly came, and Goku followed soon after, both being careful to keep their volume down, as they didn't know how thin the walls might be in Krillin's apartment. After, they smiled at each other in satisfaction; then chuckled at what they were able to get away with. They quickly cleaned up, trying to get rid of any evidence of what they had done. Goku left the bathroom first, and stopped dead in his tracks outside the bathroom door in surprise.

18 was standing in the hall, smiling at Goku as he walked into the hallway. They looked at each other for a moment, Goku being careful not to give away any look of having just been caught, while 18 was studying Goku questionably. She thought she heard something from the bathroom that sounded suspicious, but shook it off and reached for the bathroom doorknob.

"18." Goku called demandingly. "Come here for a minute." Goku said as he walked into one of the bedrooms, so Chi-Chi could exit the bathroom unseen. 18 slowly removed her hand from the doorknob and followed him curiously. She couldn't imagine why Goku would want to talk with her.

Now that Goku had her there, he had to do or say something to make her think this was not just a ruse. He hesitated in front of her as he tried to conjure up an explanation for getting her alone. He didn't want to say anything about Krillin; the last time he tried to play wingman he completely ruined Krillin's chances with the girl. He didn't want to say anything about Vegeta; those two were already on thin ice after their last encounter. He knew he couldn't say anything about Chi-Chi without giving himself away. Bulma! What could he make up about Bulma? He was in a hurry to think of something to say, as 18 eyed him impatiently, apparently coming up with her own thoughts on what this was about as she appraised him in a calculated manner and had a look of realization in her eyes.

Goku prepared to speak. He would just have to make something up about Bulma, whatever it was he'd have to work with it for now. Before he opened his mouth, he was surprised when 18 leaned in and pressed her lips against his. Oh shit.


	9. Play The Game

Play The Game

Shit! This wasn't good. 18 thought he was coming onto her. That solves the problem of explaining why he called her aside, but causes many bigger problems. If he pushed her away, she'd feel rejected now, and she might get suspicious. If he didn't, he'd be in deep shit with Chi-Chi. Not if she understood. This was her game, anyways. He was only doing it to cover up the act, so she'd understand just kissing, right? 18 pushed her lips harder against Goku's, forcing him to make his decision to push or pull. He found himself allowing her lips to linger on his, sighing into the kiss as he gave in, rubbing his lips sensually against 18's for a minute before pulling away.

"I figured out what you were up to, but when you hesitated, I decided to give you that final push." 18 said as Goku looked at her, still unsure what to say now. "I hope you don't mind." 18 said sexily, surprising Goku as he felt himself shudder.

"18, let's not tell anyone about this right now, okay?" Goku asked. 18 nodded, and heard a door closing, which they realized must have been Vegeta finally arriving. The two looked at each other, knowing they needed to join the group. Goku hurriedly headed for the group, hoping to pull Chi-Chi aside and talk to her before the game began.

He sought her out, but before he had a chance to talk to Chi-Chi, Krillin patted him on the back and ushered him to the living room. "Have a seat, Goku. Let's get this party started already!" Krillin announced excitedly. The seat was actually a pillow. Krillin had set out a circle of pillows for everyone to sit on the ground. The deck of cards was in the middle of the circle, and Krillin was prepared to give a spiel about the rules of the game.

"First of all, does everyone here know how to play poker? Five card draw?" Krillin asked, looking at everyone as they nodded, Vegeta snorting in disbelief at what he considered to be a ridiculous question. Who would agree to play strip poker when they don't even know how to play poker anyways? "Okay, first we need to count how many clothing items we are wearing. Then we'll add or take away things to make sure everyone starts off with the same amount of clothing to remove. Anything that is a pair counts as one item of clothing. Go ahead, check yourselves out so we can get a number to go by." As everyone stood and moved to closely examine their clothing and get an accurate count, Goku saw the opportunity he needed to pull Chi-Chi aside and talk to her before this game began.

"Chi-Chi!" He whispered harshly, hoping no one would notice his urgency to talk with her, especially not 18. Chi-Chi looked at Goku questioningly for a moment, but continued counting her clothing items as she was still concerned about drawing attention to the two of them. Goku huffed and pulled Chi-Chi forcefully by the arm away from the group, shutting them in a room so no one would hear them talking. "I need to tell you something right now, Chi-Chi." Before Goku could go on, they were both startled as the door opened forcefully.

"I just had to hustle my last client at the gym to rush my ass over here for this game, and I am not going to wait for you two to get it on right now. Get the hell out there!" Vegeta seethed as he pointed in the direction of the living room.

"Great, Goku. See what you did? This is what I was trying to avoid." Chi-Chi complained as she unknowingly walked into a bad situation.

"Dammit, Vegeta!" Goku growled at his friend as he passed back out the doorway of the room. Vegeta slapped Goku hard upside the head, muttering at how stupid he was being as they re-entered the living room. Everyone had a seat, and a serious game of strip poker started.

One hour later….

The group sat around on their pillows, a pile of shoes and clothing off to the side in the room. "The Jack" by AC/DC was playing low on the stereo, and everyone had a drink near them on the floor. By now, the entire group had their socks and shoes off. Vegeta and Bulma were currently tied as the winners, still wearing five articles of clothing each. The rest of the group was not faring as well, especially Goku who was down to pants and underwear only now. Everyone noticed him looking worried, and figured he was worried about losing another round and being the first person stripped to his underwear.

Goku really was worried about finding out when someone was going to say something to get him in trouble. He knew it was bound to happen, and was actually shocked it hadn't yet. By this point, he was almost hoping for something to happen so he could stop waiting for the moment and ease the tension already.

"Alright, anyone want to change out your cards?" Krillin asked as the group checked out their newest hand they had been dealt.

"Krillin," 18 said with a smirk as she listened to the music playing, "did you make a playlist of songs with poker references for this party?" She eyed her cards, missing the blush on Krillin's face.

"She's right! I was wondering why Krillin was playing Lady Gaga earlier, doesn't seem his type of music." Bulma said with a laugh. Vegeta and Goku snickered.

"I think it's cute." 18 said, looking up from her cards to smile at Krillin. Chi-Chi laid down two cards, Goku laid down one card, and Vegeta and Bulma held, assessing each other's faces carefully to get a read on what type of hand the other might have. Bulma's gaze turned into a lustful one, taking Vegeta by surprise. He realized he might have given something away in his expression at that moment, and inwardly cursed Bulma for being so conniving to pull a stunt like that. 18 laid down three cards and Krillin did the same, subsequently dealing new cards to the players who needed them now. The group quietly took some time to study their cards again, Goku throwing anxious glances towards Chi-Chi and 18. He was happy to see that 18 seemed to like Krillin, even after that kiss. Maybe he could tell 18 it was a mistake, and she'd be okay with that.

"Everyone, lay down your cards!" Krillin announced, laying his down and taking a swig of his beer proudly with his flush laid out for everyone to see. Chi-Chi had one pair which she laid down begrudgingly, knowing she'd be stripping this round. 18 had a high card, nothing more, so she'd be stripping as well. Bulma eyed Vegeta challengingly before laying her four of a kind, hoping he did not have something better. She scowled when he held his cards a few minutes longer, holding out her suspense. Goku laid down his cards, shocking Bulma as he had a straight flush. He hadn't had one good hand since the game started.

"Looks like I win this round!" Goku announced proudly, downing a shot of tequila while everyone's mouths dropped in shock. Everyone's but Vegeta's. Vegeta slowly laid down his cards, smirking evilly at Goku. Goku started choking on his tequila when he saw that Vegeta had a royal flush. "Dammit!" Goku exclaimed as he stood up, staring at Vegeta's cards. Vegeta chuckled mockingly.

"Looks like you lose again, Kakarot. Now all of you, strip!" Vegeta ordered, feeling a real power trip from being the winner for so many rounds. He went to the kitchen to get more to drink. Meanwhile, everyone else was busy removing clothing. Krillin took off his shirt easily, tossing it in the pile of clothes. Chi-Chi and 18 were also taking off their shirts, Chi-Chi a little shyer about it than 18 was, but both did so coolly as they tossed the shirts in the pile. Bulma only needed to remove her last accessory, a necklace, which she pulled off and put in her pocket. Goku stood with his arms crossed, still pissed that he didn't win that round with such a great hand. Now he had to take his pants off. He looked at Chi-Chi and saw she was watching him expectantly. He wished he could just talk to her alone already. He rolled his eyes and unbuttoned his pants, just as Vegeta came back into the room.

Vegeta looked around the room, taking an appraisal of everyone's appearance, content to see that they all had complied, except one. "What are you waiting for, Kakarot? Take the pants off and let's play the next round already." Goku stopped his actions and glared at Vegeta for a minute. They had become very close friends over the years, but sometimes they could fight like brothers, and Goku was feeling more like the latter tonight. "Come on! It's not like you have anything to hide. I think there's only one person in this room who hasn't seen you naked already." Vegeta grumbled as he sat down, ready for Krillin to deal more cards.

Goku looked up at the ceiling and took a deep breath to calm his anger. He was sure Vegeta's comment would start it all. He took his pants off and threw them in the pile, looking warily at Chi-Chi to see her eyeing Bulma and 18 suspiciously. Krillin started passing out the cards, a little confused about the tension he was sensing in the room. Goku sat down and looked at his cards, hoping no one would say anything and this might all blow over.

"Which one of you saw Goku naked?" Chi-Chi asked the other two women territorially, unable to carry on without finding out what Vegeta was talking about. Goku groaned and smacked himself in the face with his cards as he knew things were only going to get worse from here. Chi-Chi and everyone else realized that she had just admitted to having seen him naked herself, and not in the context of an accident, which they could tell by her territorial tone. Chi-Chi blushed, but stubbornly waited for someone to answer her question.

Vegeta tapped his fingers impatiently, until he started to find some amusement in observing everyone to figure out what was going on here. Of course he knew about Chi-Chi and Goku, but apparently no one else did, not until right now as he could see the way the others looked at Chi-Chi in realization. Goku was still hiding something, as Vegeta could see from his mannerisms and avoidance of eye contact with the others. Vegeta determined he'd find out what his roommate had to hide. He was going to make his own game of this, he decided with a smirk.

He looked at Bulma, hoping she didn't have anything to do with Goku's secret. He didn't know how he'd react if he found out she slept with Goku again after she got involved with him. He'd never been jealous of Goku before, but if he touched Bulma…Vegeta was angry for a fleeting second, until he reassured himself that Bulma had nothing to do with this. She seemed confused about the situation as well, and did not show any indications that she was hiding something, aside from the one fact that she hadn't admitted to Chi-Chi yet. He looked at Krillin, shaking his head at the other guy. Obviously clueless. Vegeta looked at Goku again, catching him glancing at Krillin, then 18 anxiously. Now we're getting somewhere. Vegeta looked at 18. She was playing it cool, just like he always knew her to do. 18 studied her cards, giving no heed to Chi-Chi's expectant eyes on her. She wasn't worried about Chi-Chi. She glanced up at Goku, meeting his anxious eyes for a moment and sneaking him a small smile. Vegeta chuckled, drawing Goku's eyes to him. Goku's panicked expression was all the confirmation Vegeta needed to know he was on the right track.

"Chi-Chi, you and Goku are involved now, I guess?" Bulma asked cautiously, not wanting to cause any trouble between Chi-Chi and herself. She wanted to have the facts straight before she talked.

Chi-Chi decided to come out with it, no harm could come from telling everyone now, she thought. "Yes, we've been sleeping together, okay? We're happy with the way things are right now, and want to see how it plays out from there." Goku gave Chi-Chi a weak smile, wishing what she just said wasn't about to be ruined, though he knew it would be. He looked at 18, who was glaring daggers at him.

"That's great!" Bulma smiled, oblivious to the happenings surrounding 18 right now. "I have to let you know, though, that Goku and I slept together once." Bulma paused when Chi-Chi gave her a heated look, then hurriedly spoke. "That was before he met you, though. And it was only once; we're just friends now, right Goku? Goku?" Bulma watched Goku, who was focused on 18, not paying any attention to what Bulma was saying.

Bulma looked at 18. Chi-Chi and Krillin, who had been listening to Bulma, followed her gaze to look at 18 as well. 18 shot a murderous glare to Goku and stood up, storming out of the room and shutting herself in the bathroom.

"What was that about?" Krillin asked, now more confused than ever.

"She seems upset. Maybe I should go talk to her." Chi-Chi suggested as she rose from her pillow on the ground. Goku grabbed her hand desperately.

"No!" Everyone looked at him in surprise. "Chi-Chi, stay with me for a minute. I have to tell you something in private. Maybe…maybe Krillin can talk to 18." Goku suggested.

"Krillin?" Bulma sneered, but Krillin was already heading to the bathroom, happy to be the one talking to 18, though he would not be happy once she told him what that was about.

Goku led Chi-Chi away to the same bedroom he had tried to talk to her in earlier, glaring over his shoulder at Vegeta who watched him knowingly and had a look that threatened something devious.

Bulma and Vegeta were left alone in the living room, and Bulma noticed Vegeta's look when Goku had walked out of the room. "So, are you going to tell me what's going on here?" She asked smugly.

Vegeta leaned across the circle to 18's cards once he and Bulma were the only ones in the room. "Yeah, just a minute." Vegeta huffed as he made his way around the circle, checking out everyone's cards and setting them back down carefully as they had been left. He seated himself, taking a mental note of the cards for a moment, then looked at Bulma with an air of superiority.

"It seems Kakarot made a move on 18 tonight." Vegeta said with a smirk as Bulma's mouth dropped in shock.

"But…Chi-Chi just said they were happy…" Bulma said in confusion, having trouble believing that Goku could do something like that, especially with a girl like Chi-Chi, who had just been betrayed by her last boyfriend.

"He seems to be rejecting 18 now, maybe he realized his mistake." Vegeta said with a disinterested shrug.

"Oh, so just like that, Chi-Chi should forgive him, you think?" Bulma asked accusingly, not liking Vegeta's tone towards this subject.

"I never said that. But do you think one mistake is so wrong?" Vegeta asked Bulma testily. He would not tolerate his girl making a move on someone else, but he liked to push Bulma and see how angry she might become if he thought otherwise.

"Yes, it's wrong! If what you say is true, I hope Goku goes home alone tonight!" Bulma said indignantly, though she still found Vegeta's claim hard to believe in Goku's case.

"He couldn't go home alone; Chi-Chi lives with us." Vegeta said dully.

"I remember. You told me already the last time you came over. Is she moving out anytime soon?" Bulma asked interestedly. She'd like to spend the night with Vegeta at his place sometime, but it wouldn't be very comfortable with Goku and Chi-Chi there as well.

"Who knows." Vegeta said before thinking to himself for a moment. "Kakarot might decide to move out with her." Vegeta realized, as he looked at Bulma. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, looking just like she had the first morning he saw her with that shy expression on her face. He wanted to kiss her, but there were too many people around, and someone might come back and see them. "I'm going to your place after this." Vegeta promised, giving Bulma a sexy smile, just before Goku and Chi-Chi returned to the room together.

Goku and Chi-Chi sat together, seemingly content and comfortable together, which was not what Vegeta expected to see when he was sure Goku had left to confess to Chi-Chi. Vegeta studied the two for a moment, who sat quietly and awkwardly waiting for the other two to return.

"I don't know if they're going to want to finish the game when they get back." Goku finally said.

Vegeta laughed. "No, I don't think they will."

"I'm putting my clothes back on then." Goku stated as he headed for the clothing pile, Chi-Chi closely following to do the same. After putting her shirt back on, Chi-Chi grabbed 18's and Krillin's shirts and shoes.

"I'm going to bring these to them." Chi-Chi decided, heading to the bathroom as Goku continued getting dressed.

"Did you tell her or not?" Vegeta asked once Chi-Chi had left.

"Tell her what?" Goku asked as he sat down comfortably, putting his shoes back on.

"About 18, you idiot. If you didn't tell her, she's about to find out in a way you don't want her to." Vegeta said as he nodded his head in the direction of the bathroom meaningfully.

"Oh, I told her." Goku said, looking at both Bulma and Vegeta as they looked at him with dumbfounded expressions on their faces.

"You did not tell her. She's not even angry at you!" Bulma shouted distrustfully.

"Yeah, well…there's more to it than you know." Goku said, smirking at Vegeta. He just knew this kind of thing would frustrate Vegeta, because Vegeta thought he had the whole situation figured out. Chi-Chi was angry at first, but when Goku explained the whole situation, she couldn't really hold it against him. She wasn't happy about it, but she understood that he didn't have much of a choice. She was more concerned now about 18, and hoped Goku was right when he told her that Krillin could make her feel better.

While this was going on in the living room, Krillin had spent a while knocking on the bathroom door and insistently asking 18 to let him in, until she finally gave in and opened the door. She had been sitting on the closed toilet, and he joined her, rather uncomfortably, sitting on the ledge of the bathtub to face her. He looked at her for a while, seeing that she looked just as upset as she had when he found her drunk with Chi-Chi at Tien's party.

"Well? Why did you want to come in here so badly?" 18 finally asked impatiently. She figured the insistent guy had to have something to say. She wasn't going to make a fool of herself this time. No matter what he did, she was keeping her distance from this guy.

"What happened, 18?" Krillin asked with genuine concern. 18 looked up at him, not expecting him to be ready to listen to what she had to say. She still wasn't sure about him, but decided to give it a shot.

"You know how Chi-Chi just said that she and Goku are together and happy?" She asked, her breath catching a bit as she stated the upsetting revelation. Krillin nodded, with no intention of interrupting. "Well, he kissed me here earlier. Or, I guess I kissed him. But I thought he wanted to kiss me, all the signs were there. And when I kissed him, he kissed back. Why would he do that when he's with Chi-Chi?" 18 asked in frustration, looking up at Krillin for an answer.

Krillin was shocked, and angry. Why would Goku do that? What kind of a friend does that to a girl that his friend likes? 18 could see the emotions on Krillin's face, and her frustration turned to curiosity.

"You know, I thought you came in here to listen to me. Right now I'm feeling like you need someone to talk to." 18 said leaning back with a smirk as Krillin's demeanor suddenly became nervous. Krillin looked at 18 and decided to shake off any thoughts about Goku or anyone else at the moment. He was alone with 18, talking with her, and this was his opportunity. He had to be careful with her right now though, so with confidence, he spoke to her.

"You know what your problem is, 18?" 18 looked at Krillin, surprised at his newfound confidence. "You keep making the first move. Maybe you need to wait for a guy who comes after you." Krillin leaned forward, looking deeply into 18's eyes. "_I_ like you, 18. I know I'm not Goku or Vegeta, but I'm really a great guy once you get to know me. Regardless of how you feel about me, I had to tell you that." Krillin leaned back and looked at 18 warily as she absorbed his confession.

18 looked at Krillin in shock. Maybe he was right. When did he get so insightful? He didn't seem like much at first, but there could be something more to this guy. It seemed every time she talked to him, he was full of pleasant surprises.

"Will you go out with me? Just one date. If you don't want to see me again, I'll leave you alone. We can do a simple dinner and a movie." Krillin asked boldly, wondering where he was getting this confidence. Before 18 could answer, they heard a knock on the door.

"Sorry to interrupt. I brought your clothes, we figured the game is finished. I'll leave them right here." They heard Chi-Chi's voice through the door, and Krillin was grateful that she didn't try to interrupt or enter the room. After a minute, he went to the door, taking their clothes from the hall and giving 18 hers before putting his shirt back on. 18 thought over Krillin's offer as she dressed herself, knowing he was anxiously awaiting an answer. She kind of liked being on this end of things for a change, and waited a while before answering him.

"Alright." She finally said, Krillin exhaling a breath he had been holding for a while. "But if you stand me up or tell me you have a girlfriend while we're on the date, I'll beat the living shit out of you, understand?" 18 said threateningly.

Krillin gulped, then smiled nervously at her. Not exactly the answer he was expecting, but it worked for him. "Great, I'll call you. We'll do it next weekend, if that's okay with you." 18 smiled and grabbed Krillin's hand in hers.

"Thank you, Krillin." 18 said with a smile, ready to head out of the bathroom. They both joined the group in the living room, ready to end the night already. It hadn't been going at all as Krillin planned, but he did get the end result he wanted.

There was still one matter bothering Krillin, and he wasn't ready to let that go. He hastily entered the living room, heading right for Goku. Goku opened his mouth to apologize to the friends he knew would be angry, but before he could speak, Krillin punched him in the face.

"I don't know what you were thinking, Goku. But you better apologize to 18." Krillin said as Chi-Chi pushed him away from Goku, worried that he might attack again if he was still angry. Krillin turned to Chi-Chi in disbelief. "Do you know what he did?" He asked her, knowing she should be angry as well.

"Yes, and there was a reason for it. I know that sounds strange, but he really is sorry." Chi-Chi defended, though she was going to have another talk with Goku when they got home, where she could really express how unhappy she was about that.

Krillin and 18 both looked at her in disbelief, then at each other, and shrugged. "Chi-Chi, you are crazy." 18 stated simply, shaking her head.

"I really am sorry, 18." Goku wiped the blood from his lip with the back of his hand. "I never meant for that to happen. Can you forgive me?" Goku apologized so genuinely that Chi-Chi had trouble being mad at him anymore. She could see that his guilt was hurting him far worse than his fat lip at the moment. 18 looked at Goku suspiciously, not really sure if she was ready to accept his apology. Krillin accepted it, though. Between hitting Goku and hearing the apology, he was satisfied that Goku was sorry and would never do something like that again.

"Maybe." 18 finally said, looking away, and Goku figured he'd leave it at that for now since 18 did not seem very receptive to him. The group agreed it was time to go home, and the four involved in the drama retired for the night in relief that the evening was over, while Bulma and Vegeta took the short walk to Bulma's apartment, ready to spend some quality time together.


	10. One Month

One Month

Bulma lay naked in bed, smoking a cigarette, a habit she had picked up from Vegeta. He was next to the bed, getting dressed as she lay there thoughtfully. They had been doing this for a few weeks now, without ever discussing where they stood. She watched him for a moment as he zipped up his pants and picked up his shirt. "Vegeta, what are we doing?" She finally asked.

He pulled his shirt on and looked at her like she was an idiot. "Having sex."

"I mean, what are we? Are we just friends with benefits, or…something more?" She sat up to put out her cigarette, turning to Vegeta as he made his way to the chair in the corner of her room with his shoes.

Vegeta sat down and looked at Bulma for a moment, and she almost thought he was going to say what she hoped he'd say. Then he scowled. "If we were something more, you'd know by now, wouldn't you?" He said, but she knew she saw something in his eyes a moment ago.

"Oh, okay. I just wanted to know where we stand." She said calmly as she rose from the bed slowly, exposing her naked body to him. She headed to her closet, searching through it as she continued speaking. "Because there's this guy I keep meeting in the laundry room, he's really cute. And now that I'm not attached to anyone…well, you know, I just wanted to check with you to see if you were alright with me going out with him sometime." Bulma quickly turned from her closet with her robe in hand, catching Vegeta looking angry for a moment before he masked his emotions with his usual scowl.

"You don't need to ask my permission." Vegeta said moodily as he finished putting on his shoes and grabbed his wallet off the nightstand. Bulma tied the robe around her body, studying Vegeta's actions.

"Are you leaving already?" Bulma asked innocently. Vegeta only grunted, but headed towards the door. "Was it something I said?" She asked as he left without another word. Bulma shut the door as he left and leaned against it, smiling. It was only a matter of time; she knew Vegeta felt more for her than he led on.

* * *

18 and Krillin sat parked in Krillin's car on the street, just outside 18's house. It was late at night, dark on the street, and no one was around. They were just returning from their date, which went smoothly. It was a very typical first date with dinner and a movie. There was a lot of hand holding and some wrapping of the arm over the shoulder, and Krillin was holding doors and pushing in chairs, being a gentleman. As plain and boring as the date sounded, it was actually a nice change for 18.

She had become so used to meeting guys at parties and hooking up, only to eventually end the relationship when things would inevitably go wrong. When she thought about it, the last time she had been on a real date like this was probably back in high school. But because she was so used to the fast hookup method of dating, she was having a lot of trouble wrapping her head around what Krillin had just proposed.

"Just think about it, 18. This will make such a difference. I don't want things to be superficial with you. Like I told you, I really like you. I don't want to ruin that by moving too fast." Krillin continued, bolstering his plan.

"But one month? You really want to keep dating only me, no one else, and get no action for a whole month?" 18 asked skeptically. She thought for sure he was messing with her, or must have another girl on the side.

"Yes. We'll go out again next weekend, or I'll call you if anything comes up before then." Krillin opened his door, climbing out of the car and walking around to the other side to open 18's door for her. 18 smiled as he offered her his hand and she climbed out of the car. Krillin held 18's hand as he walked her to her door.

"So you're really sure you don't want to come in?" 18 asked skeptically.

Krillin sucked in a breath as he looked at 18's gorgeous body in front of him, but boldly refused again, giving her a tender, simple kiss goodnight.

"Okay, rule-boy. We'll do this your way." 18 said doubtfully as she opened her door, pausing in the doorway as she looked attractively over her shoulder at Krillin. "But I don't think you'll last a month."

18's look sent a shiver down Krillin's spine as he watched her shut the door. "You can do this, Krillin." Krillin told himself, realizing that would be his new mantra for a while. He smiled as he climbed back in his car, starting the engine as he watched a light go on in 18's house. 18 wasn't going to know what hit her; Krillin knew he had her right where he wanted her.

* * *

Goku looked probingly at Chi-Chi as the three of them sat in their usual spots eating dinner. The couple had finally finished a very long conversation just before dinner, which began with Chi-Chi finally forgiving the kiss with 18. She had held it against Goku for days, though she refused to let their friends know how she really felt about it. After she realized that he was sorry and had no interest in pursuing 18, they had discussed their future together. Chi-Chi met his gaze and gave him a nod while Vegeta was too busy eating and reading at the table to notice.

"Hey, Vegeta." Goku began, now that he had the go-ahead. Vegeta glanced up from his book for only a moment.

"What?" He questioned while continuing to read.

"What would you think if I moved out with Chi-Chi?" This caught Vegeta's attention as his eyes lifted to meet Goku's. "I mean, I know the rent is a lot for one person, but I have someone in mind to cover the difference, temporarily at least."

"You sure you want to move in with _her_?" Vegeta asked in disbelief.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!" Chi-Chi yelled at Vegeta.

"Exactly what it sounds like." Vegeta said as he gazed piercingly at Chi-Chi.

"Yes. I like living with Chi-Chi. I don't want her moving out, but we can't keep living as the three of us. That's not fair to you." Goku stated, cutting off Chi-Chi before she could continue arguing with Vegeta.

"Don't go soft on me, Kakarot. I've benefitted very well from this arrangement." Vegeta said, waving his juicy pork chop in the air to indicate his trophy.

"Well, we're thinking of getting a place in the building. An apartment just opened up, so it should be easy to move." Goku said between bites.

"And we'll still be close to you and Krillin." Chi-Chi said happily while Vegeta made loops in the air with his finger as he scowled.

"Yeah, I know. You don't care. But I know you're going to miss me." Goku said cheekily, causing Vegeta to balk.

"So who do you have in mind? I'm not just going to let some mystery roommate come waltzing in here." Vegeta stated as he set his utensils down, now finished with his meal.

"You remember my brother, right? He's coming into town. He's been traveling the country, recruiting graduates for his company. He'll be recruiting here for the next month and needs a place to stay for a while. I told him I wanted to move in with Chi-Chi, and he says he'd rather room with you than someone he didn't know. So?" Goku smiled a big smile at Vegeta, hoping this would work out as well as planned.

"Hn." Vegeta grunted as he crossed his arms and leaned back thoughtfully. "Raditz, huh? Then I'll have to find someone else in a month?"

"Yeah, but that gives you a whole month to find a good roommate, unless you just want to pay for the apartment yourself." Goku said as he placed his utensils down, finishing the meal as well. Goku drank his water, noticing Chi-Chi was staying awfully quiet for this conversation. She was probably just staying out of it because he and Vegeta had been roommates for so long; this was more between them than it involved her.

"Fine. Raditz can't be much different from living with you." Vegeta commented as he wiped his face and threw down his napkin, leaving the table with his book in hand. Goku winked at Chi-Chi, who smiled back at him as she stood to clear the table. Goku chuckled to himself. If only Vegeta knew how wrong he was about Raditz.

* * *

Chi-Chi exhaled deeply, bending forward and touching the floor as she stretched in the quiet room with peaceful ocean sounds playing. She followed the instructor as she performed the rest of her sun salutation, completely focused on her breathing, as she tuned out the woman next to her repeatedly saying "psst" in an attempt to get her attention. After a while, Chi-Chi sent her a warning glare, and the other woman realized there was no talking to Chi-Chi until this class was over. She had come here wanting to talk to Chi-Chi, dammit. She looked at the instructor who was also giving her the same look. Geez, I didn't know people were so serious about yoga, she thought.

At the end of the yoga class, Chi-Chi spoke to the instructor for a moment, then immediately went to her friend to reprimand her. "If you're going to ask to come to yoga with me, you better be prepared to do yoga! No one talks during yoga! Don't you know that?" Chi-Chi asked, frustrated at her friend's behavior.

"Alright! Next time I want to talk to you, I won't go to yoga with you. I don't know how you do that every week. I'm more a kickboxing class type." 18 said as she cracked her neck, getting the kinks out that those foreign positions had caused. "Where are you headed now?"

"Early Literacy. It's close, so if you want to talk, I can hang here for a minute." Chi-Chi said as they headed to the women's locker room and opened their lockers. "What's up?" She said as she started dressing.

18 changed her clothes as well, moving aside as a couple other girls passed them. "It's Krillin."

"Ohhhh." Chi-Chi said, nodding her head knowingly as she smiled.

"What do you mean 'ohhh'? You don't even know what I'm talking about." 18 complained, offended that Chi-Chi seemed to be assuming that she knew the question already.

"Well, Krillin already talked to Goku about you and him. And Goku told me about Krillin's little plan. You feeling deprived?" Chi-Chi asked as she raised an eyebrow at 18 with an uncharacteristic smirk and sat on the bench to put on her shoes.

"Are you mocking me? You've got some nerve!" 18 huffed as she sat to put her shoes on as well. "I don't know what the hell he's thinking. We've been out twice now, and I've offered, but he keeps turning me down. I know he wants me though."

"Well, I can't relate. But, maybe you should dump him if this isn't doing it for you." Chi-Chi said nonchalantly as she grabbed her bag and the two headed out of the locker room.

"I don't want to dump him. I mean, in a strange way, the fact that he's staying loyal without the sex actually makes him more appealing." 18 opened the main door and the two headed outside of the gym, heading towards the building that housed Chi-Chi's next classroom.

"Fine. So you just wanted someone to listen to you today, I'm guessing." Chi-Chi complained acidly, seemingly disappointed that 18 was not taking her advice.

"Excuse me for venting." 18 said with equal attitude. "Are you still angry with me for kissing Goku?" She asked suspiciously.

"No. I was never mad at _you_." Chi-Chi said pointedly. "You didn't know about us at the time. But I am a little annoyed at the moment. I invited you to my yoga class, which you ruined this morning. And I listened to your problem, what more do you want?" Chi-Chi retorted, as she walked silently fuming the rest of the way to class on her own as 18 was heading a different direction.

"What's her problem?" 18 asked herself as she walked towards her car, wondering what Krillin was thinking with this plan of his. It seemed to be changing the way she felt about him already, and he was definitely holding firm about not giving in to sex, at least for now.


	11. Drugs Or No Drugs

Drugs Or No Drugs

"We're thinking about breaking in our new apartment with a party before we move our stuff in it." Goku said as he sat on the couch with Vegeta, ready to watch a show while procrastinating some overdue studying. Vegeta hmphed and Goku continued, knowing he was listening. "Chi-Chi says it's the best way to do it, this way we don't have to worry about anyone stealing our stuff."

"Fine. When are you actually moving your stuff out of here?" Vegeta asked, as he was more interested in knowing when he was getting a new roommate than Goku and Chi-Chi's potential party.

"We get the apartment tomorrow. So we could throw the party tomorrow night, and move our stuff on Saturday. Raditz thinks he'll be here Friday or Saturday. So he can move in as soon as we're out." Goku said as he grabbed the remote and started flipping channels.

"I was watching that!" Vegeta yelled as he jumped up from his spot on the couch and attacked Goku, stealing the remote back. Chi-Chi came rushing into the apartment excitedly as she threw her bag and books down and jumped in Goku's lap just as Vegeta had backed off of him.

"Guess what? There's a huge party in the club house right now. Let's go! Most of the residents are down there, and we don't need to bother with our party if this one is happening now!" Chi-Chi gushed.

"Alright!" Goku yelled gleefully as he sprang from the couch to get dressed from his lounging clothes he had been wearing to something more party appropriate. Chi-Chi had already beat him to the room and was changing into something more attractive as well. This worked out perfectly, they could avoid the cleanup and hassle that goes with throwing a party. Vegeta, not as excited, but happy to have something better to do than watch TV with his roommate, took out his phone and texted Bulma, telling her to meet him there.

A while later, Bulma showed at their apartment, knocking on the door to find the roommates all heading out. "Hey, Bulma!" Goku said in surprise as he gave her a friendly hug. She hugged Chi-Chi, then turned to Vegeta.

"Well, are we going together or not?" She asked as Goku and Chi-Chi raised their eyebrows in curiosity.

"Vegeta invited you to the party?" Chi-Chi asked interestedly.

"Yes, he did." Bulma said as she snaked her arm around his, though Vegeta attempted to back away from her.

"Great! I didn't know you two were dating!" Goku said excitedly just before running ahead, dragging Chi-Chi by the hand.

"We're not dating!" Vegeta bellowed to his roommates, though they were already too far to hear him.

"What else do you call inviting a girl to a party with you? A girl you've been sleeping with, who makes you jealous when she mentions dating other guys?" Bulma said slyly, smiling up at Vegeta.

Vegeta growled in frustration, but started quickly walking to the party as he pulled his arm free of Bulma's grasp. Bulma huffed and placed her hands on her hips for a moment as she watched Vegeta walk away. She thought for sure that she had him there, but it seemed she'd have to push him a little harder still.

When Goku and Chi-Chi arrived, Goku immediately went to get drinks while Chi-Chi talked to a classmate she ran into. Goku felt someone bump into him at the crowded bar. He turned around apologetically, until he saw who it was.

"Ugh. I should have figured you'd be down here, Maron." Goku complained as Maron smiled at him seductively.

"You know, Goku. I never did get to spend time with you after Krillin and I broke up. Maybe we can try catching up now?" Maron said suggestively as she sipped her drink and looked Goku up and down.

"Not interested." Goku said bluntly as he took his drinks and walked past Maron, lightly bumping his shoulder against her as he passed through the crowd. He rejoined Chi-Chi to find her with Krillin and 18. "Hey, guys! Where are Bulma and Vegeta?" Goku asked as he handed Chi-Chi her drink.

"They're dancing!" Chi-Chi exclaimed happily, as she immediately handed off the drink Goku had just given her to 18. "Let's dance, Goku!" She took Goku's hand as he handed his drink to Krillin and they joined the dance floor near Vegeta and Bulma. Krillin and 18 looked at each other, now both holding two drinks each.

"What are we, their cupholders?" Krillin asked in disbelief. 18 laughed.

"Well, you make a good cupholder." She commented as she poured the extra cup she held onto the floor. Krillin gave her a chastising look.

"What? Someone will have a lot of cleanup to do after this party anyways." 18 said with a smirk. Krillin grinned at 18 and carelessly smashed both his cups on the ground. He then turned to 18 and pulled her down to his lips, kissing her deeply. They leaned against the wall, making out without worrying about anyone around them.

Meanwhile, Chi-Chi took a break from dancing to use the restroom. While she was gone, Maron approached Goku again.

"Maron, what are you doing?" Goku asked as Maron moved in on him, snaking her hands around his waist as he tried to gently push her away.

"Hopefully you." Maron said as she brought her lips to Goku's. He pushed her off forcefully.

"I told you, I'm not interested. Go find someone else to screw." Goku said as he walked away, looking for Chi-Chi and leaving behind a very pissed off Maron. Maron was hell-bent on getting Goku one way or another. She was beautiful and seductive, and knew she could have any man she wanted. Up until now, she had successfully bedded every man she was attracted to, and she was not going to let this one ruin her record. No one rejects Maron! Maron watched Goku as he met up with his girlfriend. They seemed happy together, and she was really beautiful, which made this more of a challenge for Maron. She decided she'd just have to take him by force, something to which she never thought she'd have to resort. She looked around, knowing there had to be someone with just the thing she needed. Her eyes settled on a tall handsome man who had just recently arrived. He looked a few years older than most people at the party, which Maron perceived as making him more important, so she figured he'd know where to find what she was looking for.

"Hi." Maron said flirtatiously as she approached the man.

"Hey." He said to her with a smirk. "Looking for something?" He asked, as he could tell this woman was up to something.

"As a matter of fact, I am." Maron sighed. "This guy won't take the hint that I'm into him, you see. So I'm hoping I can give him a little something, you know, to loosen him up." She said as she twirled her finger in her hair, attempting to play this off innocently. "You know where I can find anything like that?" She asked with a devilish smile.

"You came to the right place." He said as he smirked again. "Who's this guy you're talking about?" He started drinking from the beer he'd been holding while he watched Maron. She nodded in Goku's direction, trying to be inconspicuous as she described her target. The man started choking on his beer for a moment, then let out a cough before speaking. "Don't worry, I can take care of this for you, if you promise me a dance after." He offered with a sexy smile.

Maron studied him with her lips pursed. "Okay, you're cute. Why not? But I need to get back to him after. By the time we're done dancing, he'll be putty in my hands."

"Alright! Be back in a minute!" He said excitedly as he headed to the bar, ordering a drink and taking something from his pocket. He discreetly deposited a few drops of the contents into the cup, then approached Goku and Chi-Chi where they stood talking. He stood behind Goku and tapped him on the shoulder. As Goku turned around to look at him, he said, "Hey! Pretend you don't know me."

Goku's eyes immediately lit up in recognition, but he did as instructed and did not greet him as usual. Instead, Goku just said, "What are you doing here?"

"I told you I was coming."

"I mean what are you doing at this party?"

"What? Am I not allowed? Students only?" He said mockingly, before casually looking around the room. "Hey! You know someone here is plotting to rape you?" He chuckled.

"What?!" Goku and Chi-Chi both yelled.

"Hey, hey. Calm down." He said in a hushed tone. "I've got you covered. Just leave it to me." Goku and Chi-Chi looked at him confused for a moment, not sure if they should be relieved. "I do need you to drink this, though." He said vehemently as he traded the drink he was holding with Goku's.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Raditz?" Goku carped as he looked at the drink in his hand, disgusted at his brother's suggestion.

"This is your brother?" Chi-Chi asked in disbelief.

"She agreed to dance with me after I drug you. She's really hot." Raditz said as he checked out Maron. "I miss college girls. They're so easy; you've even got one trying to force you!" Raditz said in amazement to his brother. "So, you need to drink that, so I can go over there and get with that girl." Raditz looked at Goku expectantly, who was holding the cup and staring at his brother. Raditz groaned. "Come on! What's the big deal?"

Raditz looked at Chi-Chi, eyeing her closely. "You must be Chi-Chi, right? Long black hair, nice rack, just like my brother described. And you're hanging all over him, so you must be her." Chi-Chi gasped at Raditz, then turned to Goku with an expression that told him to say something. Goku sighed in annoyance.

"Chi-Chi, my brother's an asshole." Goku said apologetically.

"Yeah, well." Raditz said with a shrug. "Chi-Chi can take care of you, now that she knows you're drinking this stuff, and I'll keep the rapist busy, so you'll be fine. Besides, you might like it. This stuff makes you like a rock!" Raditz exclaimed as he held up a firm fist for emphasis.

"I'm not drinking it, Raditz." Goku said as he attempted to hand the cup back to Raditz. Raditz looked anxiously towards Maron who he could see was losing patience with the wait.

"No, you idiot! If you don't drink it now, she's going to move on. Drink it right now!" Raditz urged. He could see that Goku had no intentions of drinking it. "If you don't drink it, I'll have to tell Chi-Chi something you don't want her to know about you." Raditz said threateningly with a smile. Goku shook his head warningly at Raditz, but Raditz continued. "Remember when Dad locked you in the closet, and I kept coming over to-Ow!" Raditz stopped when Goku kicked him in the shin.

"Shut up, Raditz!" Goku hissed through his teeth at his brother.

"Oh! Maybe you remember this one. You were thirteen, and you stole Dad's brand new slippers, you had them…" Raditz stopped talking when Goku hurriedly gulped down the drink, giving him a hard look that said 'stop talking right now, I'm drinking it!'

"You're unbelievable!" Chi-Chi exclaimed. "What kind of man blackmails his own brother into being drugged by a psycho bitch?" Chi-Chi hissed as she got right in Raditz's face. Raditz looked scared of her for a second, then turned to Goku with a smirk on his face.

"I see why you like her. She's hot when she's pissed." Chi-Chi growled in aggravation.

"You wouldn't believe the things he used to do when we were kids." Goku said dejectedly. "This is just the sort of thing I'd expect from Raditz." Goku complained as he finished off the last of the drink, glaring at his brother. "What did you put in here, anyways?" Goku asked his brother apprehensively as he eyed the empty cup.

Before Raditz answered, Chi-Chi noticed Vegeta and Bulma approaching the group. Vegeta had recognized Raditz and decided to stop dancing in order to see his new roommate. "Hey, guys!" Chi-Chi yelled, relieved to have someone else with them besides Raditz.

"Hey! Who's this?" Bulma asked breathily as she and Vegeta had been dancing for a while. She had a glistening layer of sweat on her skin and the movement of her chest from the heavy breathing immediately drew Raditz's eyes to her enticing cleavage.

"Who is this indeed?" Raditz replied.

"I'm Bulma, and I'm up here!" Bulma yelled, furious at Raditz's continued ogling of her chest.

Vegeta frowned angrily at his new roommate. This was not a good start for them. "Raditz! Bulma is with me, got it?" He meant the claim solely to deter Raditz from pursuing Bulma, but she immediately beamed at Vegeta's possessive statement. "Go find some other hussy to screw while you're here." Bulma's face dropped.

"Hussy?! You dare refer to me as a hussy?" Bulma shrieked in a piercing voice. Goku and Raditz laughed.

"Hey, speaking of hussies, I thought you were gonna get Maron, Raditz. You better go; I don't feel right." Goku said as he shook his head violently, trying to fight the coming high.

"Maron? That's her name, huh? How'd you figure out who it was?" Raditz asked curiously.

"I noticed her staring at us; she has been since you came over here. And she already came on to me twice tonight; she was really pissed the last time I rejected her." Goku shook his head at the memory as Chi-Chi scowled, looking in the direction Goku had claimed to see Maron watching them. She didn't know who this Maron was, but she was ready to kill the bitch for moving in so hard on her Goku. Raditz saw Chi-Chi start angrily heading in that direction, and followed her.

"Hey!" Raditz placed his hand sternly on Chi-Chi's shoulder, stopping her. "I'll take care of her. You stay with him." Raditz said as he pointed his thumb to his brother, who was talking up a storm to Bulma and Vegeta, to their displeasure. "Unless you want him going home with someone else tonight?" Raditz mockingly questioned as he turned from Chi-Chi, making his way to Maron. Chi-Chi fumed, but immediately caught up to Goku, who was already heading away from Bulma and Vegeta, and she knew she'd have to stay on him to keep him out of trouble.

Raditz reached Maron, taking her drink from her hand and placing it on the nearest countertop. "I delivered as promised. Now I'm claiming that dance you owe me." Raditz said as he grabbed Maron's hand and led her to the dance floor. Maron smiled, impressed with him.

"I can see that." She said as she watched Goku and Chi-Chi heading out of the room, Chi-Chi having some obvious difficulty with keeping Goku headed the direction she wanted. "But it looks like he's getting away. You sure this dance can't wait?"

"No. It can't." Raditz said with a big smile as he twirled Maron onto the dance floor. They continued dancing, Raditz aiming to distract Maron from thinking of Goku as he worked his charm on her. Raditz and Maron were not much different. Raditz was as determined to get Maron in bed tonight as she had been to get Goku. Now he just had a battle to win first in order to change her mind. They danced for a while, and Raditz was definitely feeling a vibe from Maron that she was very attracted to him. After dancing, Maron seemed to be in a hurry to follow Goku, but Raditz grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into him.

"Maron!" He scolded, surprising her as she didn't remember telling him her name. "You can't go after him tonight. You can have me instead." Raditz offered tantalizingly. Maron stared at him open-jawed for a minute, not knowing what to say.

"You're not going to let me go after him, after all of that?" She asked in confusion.

"No, I couldn't do that. I want you to myself too much. You're interested, aren't you?" Raditz purred into her ear seductively as he tightened his hold around Maron's waist while pulling her body tightly against his.

Maron bit her lip, turned on by this man's aggressive behavior towards her. She took one last fleeting look at Goku and Chi-Chi as they headed out the door, before Raditz grabbed her by the chin and turned her face to his, kissing her deeply. Maybe this was going to be a good night for her after all.

* * *

Bulma and Vegeta decided to go home after Goku had been acting strangely, and they had had enough of the party. They went back to Bulma's place as usual. She had a place to herself, never having to worry about roommates. Vegeta couldn't wait to get to her apartment tonight, as he was craving Bulma like he had never craved her before. The way she had been grinding against him when they danced and looked so sexy with the sheen of sweat on her delicate skin was driving him mad with desire. And that little incident of Raditz checking her out made him feel the need to claim her tonight as his.

Once they made it in the apartment, Bulma immediately turned to Vegeta, kissing him passionately as she had been feeling the sexual vibes from Vegeta all night. He responded to the kiss by fervently kissing her back as he roughly rubbed his hands up her sides, cupping her breasts and aggressively caressing them as he thrust his erection between her legs, cursing the layers of clothing between them. Bulma ran her hands under Vegeta's shirt, feeling all his muscles from his abs to his chest as she then lifted his shirt, breaking their kiss as the material passed between them. Vegeta greedily tore Bulma's shirt over her head as well, and started unfastening the buttons on her jeans. She did the same to his, and Vegeta lifted Bulma by the rear, tossing her on the nearest soft surface he could find, which happened to be the same couch they had first been together on. He pulled her pants off, and did not have the patience to even get his off. He climbed on top of her, continuing with their passionate kisses, until Bulma tore her lips from his to kiss his neck, and nip at his ear. He pulled the rest of his clothing down just enough to release himself from his pants, and put on a condom from his pocket quickly while Bulma wiggled out of her panties. Vegeta thrust hard into Bulma, groaning at the pleasure of finally being inside her. Bulma moaned as she wrapped her legs around Vegeta, enjoying the waves of pleasure she was feeling with his repeated thrusting. She gyrated her hips along with his movements, feeling her eyes roll back in her head as she wrapped her arms around Vegeta's neck. Vegeta reached under Bulma with one hand to grab her ass while supporting his weight with the other arm. He increased his speed, driving both of them over the edge together. They laid on the couch together panting afterwards, until Vegeta got up and left for the restroom. Bulma lay there blissfully for a moment, not wanting to move. It felt so right with Vegeta, she knew they were perfect together, and she knew that he felt the same way. How would she ever get him to put his stubbornness aside and admit it?

* * *

Goku and Chi-Chi made it outside the building, Chi-Chi giving Goku a quick reassuring peck on the lips as they sat down outside for a minute. She had never seen him like this, of course, and it was more tiring than she expected, trying to get him to the apartment. She needed a minute before making the trek upstairs, which is why she had decided to sit out here for a while, where there appeared to be no one else around. She noticed Goku eyeing her, his eyes looking dilated but she could still see the lust in them. She decided it was time to get moving, but when she went to stand, Goku gently pulled her back down, nuzzling into her as he began kissing her neck.

"Goku, we need to get back to the apartment." Chi-Chi reprimanded as she pulled him up with her, leading him laughing and stumbling back to the apartment. She finally got him into their bedroom, relieved to make it there, and disappointed at the same time that their partying had been cut short. Chi-Chi undressed herself with a sigh, still thinking of her disappointment at returning home early to care for her drugged boyfriend, when she was surprised by Goku's arms wrapping around her as he pulled her into his hard body. Once he started kissing her and fondling her naked body, she started feeling better about being home-bound. She almost felt bad for what she was about to do with him, knowing that he had no idea what he was doing. He was really going to lose control of himself, and wouldn't remember this in the morning, but Chi-Chi knew he'd want to be with her tonight, drugs or no drugs.


	12. Waiting At Your Door

Waiting At Your Door

Vegeta knocked on the door of his ex-roommates' apartment. He had a bone to pick with Goku. He waited impatiently as he saw another tenant turning the corner to walk down the hall, and he heard a muffled feminine giggle from inside the apartment. He pounded furiously now, they were really testing his patience.

"I know you're in there! Open the fucking door, Kakarot!" Vegeta roared, scaring the other man in the hall, who froze and gaped at him. Vegeta turned to the staring tenant. "What the hell are you looking at?" Vegeta asked so maliciously that the man immediately sped past him with his head down mumbling a few apologies. "Open it now!" He yelled back into the door as he pounded even harder on the door. He saw the doorknob turn, and backed off for a moment as Goku opened the door just enough to stick his head out.

"Hey, Vegeta." He greeted with a smile, though his face showed both that he was not happy about being bothered and that he was expecting this visit. Vegeta barged through the door, letting himself in as Goku hastily yelled a warning. "Hey, Chi-Chi! Vegeta's here!" The bedroom door quickly slammed shut with a groan from Chi-Chi. "So what brings you here?" Goku asked Vegeta with a smile as he grabbed a package off the counter and ripped it open with his teeth. Vegeta frowned deeply at the action, he never could stand it when he did that.

"Don't play innocent. You know why I'm here!" Vegeta spat at him. Goku just raised his eyebrows in surprise as he started eating the trail mix in the package he just opened. Vegeta ignored what he knew was feigned blamelessness and continued. "Raditz! He's a slob! He's the worst roommate." Vegeta grumbled in frustration.

"Sorry about that, Vegeta. I don't know why you're coming to me about it, though." Goku said with a shrug, leaning his bare chest over the counter as he finished munching on his snack, tossing the bag over the counter into the trash. "Hey, this is the first time you've been in our apartment." Goku noted casually.

Vegeta pinched the bridge of his nose and shut his eyes in frustration as he forced himself to speak calmly. "I'm coming to you, because you're the one who told me to take him for a roommate. You are the one who knew what a pig your brother was before he came here! You are the second person I am going to kill right after Raditz!" Vegeta's anger spiraled out of control as he spoke, and he was now at the point of fury again.

"Vegeta, if Raditz is that hard to live with, why don't you ask him to move out?" Goku asked, noticing an impatient tapping on the bedroom door, and suddenly becoming hurried to get Vegeta out of there.

"Not only did I _order_ him to move out, I took away his keys." Vegeta said through his teeth. Goku gave Vegeta a confused look; not understanding why Raditz was still a problem if that was true. Before he could ask, Vegeta said, "He went to that incompetent landlord of ours and asked for another set, and the fool gave him one. His name isn't even on the lease! At least now we know that anyone can get a key to our apartments, if they just ask nicely!" Vegeta yelled sarcastically, then huffed. "It isn't just his mess. He spends hours on the phone, yapping obnoxiously while pacing around the apartment."

"He needs to spend a lot of time on the phone for work." Goku interjected.

"He's had Maron spend the night with him, among other women. And the whores spend too much time in my bathroom in the mornings!"

"I don't think that's really _his_ fault." Goku speculated, turning his head attentively to the bedroom door as the tapping resumed. "Look, Vegeta." He said hurriedly. "He's almost been here for a week now, there's not much time left before he has to leave. Besides, if there's anyone who knows how to make someone pay, it's you. Why don't you just make Raditz miserable for being a lousy roommate? He deserves it after what he pulled on me the other night, anyways." Goku grumbled as he headed to the door of the apartment, waiting for Vegeta to follow. Vegeta crossed his arms and followed Goku thoughtfully, then looked up at him with a devious smile.

"I think I'll do that, Kakarot." Vegeta said as he reached for the door, pausing in the doorway as Goku opened it to meet his eyes with a sinister smile on his face. "I'll make _you_ pay for this, too." Goku gulped nervously, then cast another glance at the bedroom, before rushing Vegeta outside with a simple goodbye. Vegeta paused outside the doorway, thinking he had been overlooking something about Goku's behavior in there. As he thought back through their entire interaction, it suddenly clicked. Vegeta smirked as he put his ear against the door to confirm his suspicions. He heard Chi-Chi's voice exclaim something he couldn't make out, which sounded like a complaint. Then it was quiet for a few minutes, and he almost decided to forget his idea, until he heard an erotic moan. He snickered as he knocked very loudly on the door again, then returned his ear to the door. After a few minutes of quiet, he heard a door slam inside the apartment and footsteps approaching the door. He backed away as he waited for the door to open, composing his wicked grin into a serious face.

"What?" Goku asked brusquely as he opened the door, obviously not happy about the return of his old roommate.

"I think I left my cell phone in your apartment." Vegeta lied as he let himself in and pretended to search. After a while, an irritated Chi-Chi emerged from the bedroom, ready to go out.

"I have to go. I've got class now." Chi-Chi said with a tense face as she shook her head at Vegeta, giving Goku a quick peck on the lips as she grabbed her purse and headed out. As soon as Chi-Chi left, Vegeta smirked at Goku and stopped searching.

"That's right. I didn't leave my phone here. I'll have to go see if _Raditz_ has it." Vegeta said as he left a very sorry Goku alone in his apartment.

* * *

Krillin tapped his fingers to the music in his car as he waited, parked in 18's driveway. They had developed a routine where Krillin would pick 18 up every morning to give her a ride to campus. Both of them needed to be on campus five days a week, and started their schedules in the morning. They didn't start at the same time, but would bring their study materials and books with them to fill the time while waiting for the other to go to class. 18 had shown Krillin some of the material she was studying once, but it was completely over his head. He just nodded and told her he was really impressed that she could understand all that. This morning, Krillin had some research work to do, no classes today, so he was very lax about getting to campus on time, but wondered what was keeping 18 as he looked at the clock on his dashboard and realized they were already leaving five minutes late for her first class.

18 finally emerged from the house, but not alone, and not looking happy. She was trailed by a young man who looked very similar to her, with dark shoulder length hair. She reached the car, tossing her books and bag violently in the backseat as she slammed the back door. She opened the passenger door and plopped in her seat, keeping her gaze forward as she buckled and slammed the door, and simply told Krillin. "Go." Krillin hesitated, seeing that the man was approaching them, obviously wanting to speak to them. Krillin didn't know what was going on here. "I said go, Krillin!" 18 said more insistently, and Krillin quickly obeyed and sped off, leaving a very pissed off man yelling at them from the driveway, and shaking his fist at them.

"So what was that about?" Krillin asked after a few awkward moments of silence.

"I'm going to be late for class, aren't I?" 18 sighed as she looked at her watch.

"Yeah. Why are you running late this morning, 18? Who was that?" Krillin asked, worried that the guy might be another guy 18 was involved with. 18 noted the jealousy in Krillin's voice, which snapped her from her anger she had been feeling since the morning started.

"I told you who I live with, Krillin. That was my brother, 17. Remember I live with him and 16?" 18 prompted, raising her eyebrows at Krillin as he made an 'ohhh' face, smiling in relief. "We had an argument this morning." 18 said, leaving out any details. Krillin waited patiently, expecting 18 to expand on the problem. When she didn't, he grabbed her hand supportively.

"Did the argument have anything to do with us, 18?" Krillin asked.

"No. Not exactly." 18 said as she looked at Krillin, then quickly turned her head to look out the window. She sighed as she observed the people walking down the street along the sidewalks, then turned back to facing Krillin with a weak smile. "We'll be graduating this year, and there aren't too many places offering jobs to people with biomechanical engineering degrees. It's a very specialized field. You know that's also 17 and 16's major. Bulma's too." 18 informed, not sure if Krillin knew that important detail about her morning discussion.

"So why would you argue about that? Are you two having problems because you're in competition over the jobs that are available?" Krillin speculated with a thoughtful frown as he pulled the car into a parking space on campus. 18 smiled at Krillin as he turned the car off.

"My father is the one who got us started in this field. He's a leader in the industry, and runs his own company, Red Ribbon. Have you heard of it?" 18 asked Krillin as she unbuckled and reached in the backseat for her things, having no time to stay in the car and talk right now.

"I don't think so. I'm not really up on biomechanical engineering companies these days." Krillin said lightly as he headed out of the car. The two shut their doors and walked together, Krillin walking 18 to her class first. "So does your dad want you to work for him when you graduate?" Krillin figured that was where 18 was headed with this, but still did not see any problem there.

"Yeah, he does. My brother doesn't want anything to do with it though. He says 'we need to get out there and make a name for ourselves without being pampered by daddy'." 18 said, mocking her brother's voice. "So, the problem is, I told 17 I might work with dad if you are getting a job in or near East City after graduation." Krillin's jaw dropped in shock. Was 18 really making a career decision revolving around him? "That's when my brother went off on me, that he didn't want me ruining my chances at success for a….well, for you." 18 smiled at Krillin apologetically, leaving him to wonder what 17 must have called him. 18 was at her classroom now and needed to go in, and Krillin's thoughts were pulled in the direction of 18 wanting to be with him after graduation. 18 gave Krillin a quick kiss before heading into class, and he kissed her back, pulling her in for a tight hug before she headed inside.

Krillin walked in the direction of his research lab, deep in thought about his future with 18. If she was thinking along those lines, he was ecstatic to know he was getting to her! There were only two weeks left now until their one month anniversary, and Krillin was determined now to make it very special for both of them.

* * *

Bulma stood outside Vegeta's and Raditz's apartment, knocking on the door, not being heard over the blaring music coming from inside. She tried again for the fourth time, pounding furiously on the door now. She was hoping to surprise Vegeta by coming over unannounced tonight, but that was proving to be very difficult. Bulma growled in frustration, then spun around when she was surprised by something brushing against her backside. An old man with sunglasses and a white beard smiled mischievously at her. She looked at the man suspiciously, thinking he must have been passing by too closely.

"Hello, sweetie!" The old man greeted happily with a large grin. "You trying to get in there? The boys in there have been very busy lately, lots of girls coming in and out of that apartment!" The old man exclaimed, a little too excitedly if you asked Bulma. Wait, what did he just say?

"Excuse me? Lots of girls have been coming in and out of this apartment? For Vegeta?" Bulma asked angrily, ready now to break that door down and give Vegeta a piece of her mind.

"Oh yeah, since the tenants changed in there, the place has been busier than ever!" The old man laughed.

"Are you the landlord?" Bulma asked, suspecting he might be, as most elderly people would not be residents in an apartment building like this.

"As a matter of fact, I am." The old man said with a confident smile, tucking his arms behind his back. "If you want, I could get you in there." He offered, gesturing with a nod towards Vegeta's apartment door.

"Oh! Could you? That would be great!" Bulma said happily as she stepped aside for the old man to access the door. Rather than opening it as she expected, he turned to face her.

"I _could_ get you in there…" he repeated, letting the sentence linger meaningfully.

"Okay, so go ahead." Bulma said with an attitude as she crossed her arms.

The old man licked his lips and looked Bulma up and down, letting his eyes linger too long on her curves for her liking. Bulma made a disgusted face at the way the man looked at her, but he failed to notice. "Just let me touch your breasts a little bit, and I'll open that door." The old pervert said as he approached Bulma with his hands outreached. She stepped back, stunned at his actions, then slapped him across the face before he could take another step closer. The old man rubbed his cheek as it reddened, looking at her disappointedly. "I guess you don't want to get in there, then. I'll be in my office if you change your mind. Of course, the price for my services just went up." The old man said creepily as he walked away, taking a glance over his shoulder at Bulma's backside and fighting the urge to grope himself.

Bulma shuddered as she watched the creepy old landlord walk away, and wondered how any women could live in this building. She started reaching for her cell phone to call Vegeta, when the apartment door finally opened. She was not happy with who she saw, though. She narrowed her eyes at a beautiful blond she had never seen before, proudly strutting out of the apartment and eyeing Bulma competitively. Bulma outstretched her hand towards the woman's chest, stopping her before she could go any further.

"Who were you visiting in there?" Bulma asked, studying the woman closely as she waited for the answer.

"I don't remember his name." The woman huffed with a roll of her eyes. "He was a good lay, though. You won't be disappointed." She said with a smirk as she adjusted her bra under her clothing and continued strutting towards the stairs.

Bulma grit her teeth and walked through the still-open apartment door, immediately shutting off the music.

"Hey, you're here early! I'm ready, though. Come on in!" She heard, but it wasn't Vegeta. Bulma peered down the hall to see Raditz peeking his head out. His face fell when he saw her. "Oh. It's you. You're looking for Vegeta, I guess?"

"That depends." Bulma answered as she crossed her arms, both out of anger and out of the need to recoil from the disgust she was feeling at the current state of their apartment. "That blond that just left, was she with you?"

"Yeah, she was. Not the best I've had. That Maron is fantastic, though. I'll probably invite her over tomorrow."

"Maron's fantastic, huh?" Bulma said contemptuously. "Does Vegeta agree with you on that?"

"Oh, yeah. He really liked her, too. Not as much as you, though." Raditz said conciliatorily.

"Great." Bulma snarled sarcastically, her anger building as she felt her heart racing. She couldn't believe Vegeta actually slept with Maron. Bulma clenched her fists, and looked at Raditz, who was not sure what to make of the angry woman in front of him. "Tell Vegeta I was here…and I had to leave for a date with the laundry room guy." Bulma said spitefully as she left the apartment.


	13. He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

Goku closed his eyes and sighed at the comforting feel of warm water running over his face and down his body as the room filled with steam. It was almost hypnotically peaceful in there, until he was knocked out of his reverie by a knock.

"Goku, can I come in for a second?" he barely heard Chi-Chi's voice through the closed bathroom door.

"Yeah, come in!" Goku said as Chi-Chi opened the door, smiling at him.

"Have you done any laundry lately?" She asked with an inquisitive expression as she placed her hand on the counter.

"Laundry? No, you told me not to." Goku said with a frown. That was true. Once Chi-Chi realized Goku's ability to mess up the simplest load of laundry, she told him she'd take care of it from now on, and he better not touch her clothes again. At least he was listening to her. Chi-Chi frowned and bit her fingernail thoughtfully. "Why?" Goku finally asked.

"Some of my clothes are missing." Chi-Chi complained. Goku froze, then turned to Chi-Chi slowly as he cocked his head thoughtfully.

"What kind of clothes?"

"Just some panties." Chi-Chi said as she crossed her arms. Goku immediately groaned. "What?" Chi-Chi asked, wanting to know more now what was going on here. Her eyes widened in realization. "You think someone stole them?" She asked in disbelief.

Goku turned off the water and reached for a towel, which Chi-Chi handed to him helpfully. He dried his hair quickly, then dabbed his body before wrapping the towel around his hips, shaking his head thoughtfully.

"Who?" She finally asked as they stepped out of the bathroom together.

Goku frowned at Chi-Chi and sighed. "Roshi. Or maybe his grandson. They snoop around in female residents' apartments a lot. It was never a problem for me and Vegeta, or even when you lived with us, because I don't think Roshi knew you were living there. But now your name is on the lease." Goku hoped this wasn't going to cause a problem for Chi-Chi with their residence. They just moved in, and he really liked this location. "Which panties are missing?" He asked as his mind entered a new train of thought. He had some favorites that he liked on Chi-Chi, and just knew Roshi would probably take the best ones.

Chi-Chi rolled her eyes, more worried about feeling violated right now than she cared about the panties. "It was only a couple pairs, I'll go shopping for some new ones while you're at the game today. But what are we going to do about the landlord, Goku? I can't have some old pervert sorting through my private things when I'm not home." Goku started dressing as they spoke, and Chi-Chi couldn't help staring when he dropped his towel, though he didn't notice.

"I guess I can talk to him. He's a reasonable guy. In the meantime, maybe you should keep all your best stuff somewhere he wouldn't expect, like the kitchen cupboards or in my drawers." Goku suggested as he finished putting his clothes on and started leaving the room before Chi-Chi cleared her throat pointedly. Goku turned to her to see her nod her head at the wet towel he left on the ground.

Goku rubbed the back of his head as he picked up the towel. "Sorry, Chi-Chi." He said, hanging the towel. Chi-Chi started her own shower, bringing her clothes into the bathroom. Goku headed to the kitchen for some breakfast when his phone rang. He answered it, seeing Vegeta's name.

"Football!...Football!...Football!...Football!..." He heard being chanted through the phone in his brother's voice, which gradually drifted off until he heard Vegeta on the phone.

"Kakarot," Vegeta growled through the phone, "he has been carrying on like that all morning! You need to get over here and shut him up before I strangle him!"

"Really? All morning?" Goku said, trying not to laugh at Vegeta's misfortune as a few chuckles escaped him. "The game is still hours away. I'd like to help you, Vegeta. But if you can't get him to shut up, I really don't know what good I'm going to do." Goku said unaccommodatingly as he sat down to eat his breakfast.

"Then get over here right now to at least give me the satisfaction that you're suffering as well!" Vegeta ordered angrily, as Goku could still hear Raditz chanting in the background. "Raditz! Shut the fu-" Goku heard Vegeta shout furiously before hanging up. Chi-Chi came out dressed and joined Goku in the kitchen.

"I called 18 and Bulma. Bulma's picking us up to go to the mall together in a little while." She said as she grabbed a plate and poured herself a cup of juice. "Did I just hear you on the phone?" She asked as she joined him, sitting on a barstool to eat.

"Yeah. It was Vegeta. Raditz is on his nerves again." Goku said unconcernedly as he ate.

"I don't know how you grew up with him." Chi-Chi complained, fuming inwardly as she thought back to the first night she met Raditz, and everything she had heard about him since he started living with Vegeta. "Of course, I guess he rubbed off on you a bit, for you to stick Vegeta with him for a roommate like you did." Chi-Chi said with a laugh.

"Hey! I'm nothing like my brother." Goku complained as he stood to put his dishes in the sink. Goku turned to Chi-Chi, just watching her for a few minutes. He approached her and wrapped his arms around her from behind, leaning forward and kissing her neck. Chi-Chi sighed and enjoyed the attention, finishing her last bite of food while Goku nibbled on her ear. Goku slid his hand up to cup Chi-Chi's breast, moaning at how nice she felt.

"Don't you have to get going?" Chi-Chi asked, wishing he didn't.

"They can wait." Goku said with a sly smile as he pulled Chi-Chi from her seat and hugged her tight against him. He breathed in the beautiful scent of her hair as he held her. Chi-Chi smiled as she was wrapped in Goku's warm arms. She lifted her head to meet Goku's descending lips, and they shared a long, passionate kiss. Goku slid his hands down to Chi-Chi's rear, giving it a nice squeeze as Chi-Chi sighed and ran her hands over Goku's chest. He quickly scooped her up bridal style, eliciting a surprised squeal from Chi-Chi as he carried her into the bedroom. Goku gently laid Chi-Chi on the bed as he climbed over her, kissing up her chest and neck until he met her lips again. They rolled to the side as they continued kissing and exploring each other's bodies with their hands. Chi-Chi unbuttoned Goku's pants and reached her hand inside, squeezing him as she ran her thumb over the tip of his hardened shaft, causing him to groan and buck his hips towards her.

"Chi-Chi…" Goku breathed as he pulled her pants and panties down together, running his hand over her wet folds. He inserted a finger as Chi-Chi gasped, grabbing him by the back of the neck with her free hand and pulling him in for another kiss. Goku separated from Chi-Chi to pull his pants off, and Chi-Chi kicked hers the rest of the way down to free her feet. Chi-Chi climbed on top of Goku, pulling his shirt up as she kissed his chest and licked his nipples before settling herself down onto Goku's thick erection.

She moaned as she let her head fall back, settling into the amazing feeling of having Goku inside her. Goku grabbed Chi-Chi by the hips and guided her as he pumped into her again and again, enjoying watching the way she moved over him. Even with her shirt on, he could see that her shape was fantastic. Goku groaned and shut his eyes tight, fighting not to release yet as he wanted this feeling to last. Chi-Chi moaned and starting swirling her hips in a way that made Goku feel like he was going to lose it, but he could tell Chi-Chi was nearing her climax as well. She finally let out a scream as she had one of the most incredible orgasms she had ever felt, causing Goku to lose it as well while they climaxed together. Chi-Chi collapsed onto Goku's chest, feeling unable to move for a moment, but also enjoying cuddling against his warmth.

"I love you, Chi-Chi." Goku said quietly as he rubbed her back. Chi-Chi smiled euphorically.

"I love you, too, Goku." She raised her head to smile at him, and placed a loving kiss on his lips. Chi-Chi reluctantly climbed out of bed and headed into the bathroom, freshening up before dressing a second time for the day.

A few minutes later, Goku was leaving the apartment, grabbing his keys and wallet as he was heading to Vegeta and Raditz's. "I guess I won't see you until after the game." Chi-Chi said as she handed Goku his phone, which he almost forgot.

"No. But if there's something going on afterwards, I'll give you a call." Goku said as he gave Chi-Chi a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Bye." Chi-Chi said, smiling to herself as she watched him leave.

* * *

"Hey! Kakarot's here!" Raditz cheered when Goku entered the apartment. Goku quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Did you just call me Kakarot?"

"Huh? Oh, I guess it rubs off on you, spending so much time around Vegeta. He's always walking around grumbling Kakarot this and Kakarot that, especially when I do something to piss him off." Raditz leaned back on the couch and studied Goku musingly for a moment.

"What?" Goku asked his brother.

"You don't like me calling you Kakarot, do you?"

"I don't care." Goku said with an unintentional grimace.

"You don't like it." Raditz smiled.

"Are we finally ready to go?" Vegeta asked impatiently as he walked into the room.

"Yeah. Kakarot and I are ready." Raditz said, smirking at Goku. Goku scoffed at his brother, then looked around the room.

"Where's Krillin?" Goku asked with a start as he had almost forgotten about his friend. Right on cue, there was a knock at the door. Goku went to answer it. "Krilliiiin." Goku dragged the name as he opened the door to the unexpected presence of a second person with Krillin. Krillin and the stumpy Asian man entered the room together, the second one with a notable puss on his face and arms crossed.

"Hey, Goku. Sorry about the surprise, but we've got one more coming with us today." Krillin offered apologetically as he gestured his hands to his company.

"Hey! Don't you guys give me that look! I paid my way." The grumpy man complained as he noticed the hostile eyes on him.

"Really? How?" Vegeta asked bitingly, not feeling at all inclined to bring this guy to the game with them.

"Do you really have to ask?" He huffed as he plopped on the couch, making himself at home.

"Krillin, you didn't." Goku said disappointedly to his friend, then thought about how his brother would react to what Krillin now had in his possession. "Krillin! Yajirobe! Don't tell Raditz about _that_!" He warned harshly. Krillin nodded understandingly, intending to keep his mouth shut, while Yajirobe merely shrugged indifferently.

Raditz perked up in interest. "About what?"

Krillin ignored him, feeling more need to address Goku's earlier statement. "I had another ticket for 18. It was just gonna go to waste, so when Yajirobe offered the trade, I figured why not? He caught me on the way out and knew where I was headed." He tried explaining himself, though he knew Goku was right, he probably should have left it alone.

"What happened to 18?" Vegeta complained, disappointed at having to tolerate her replacement. At least 18 would have been more fun to look at.

"Chi-Chi called and invited her to go shopping this morning." Krillin said as he glared accusingly at Goku. "She said going to a football game with me just didn't beat out shopping."

"Ouch! Shorty got burned." Raditz laughed.

"I just happen to be with a woman who knows exactly what she wants." Krillin said defensively.

"Yeah. You're still not giving her that, though, are you?" Vegeta mocked.

Krillin narrowed his eyes at Vegeta. "Who's been talking to you?" He asked, annoyed that Vegeta knew that personal detail about his relationship.

"That would probably be Bulma." Goku answered as he looked as his watch. "We better get going, guys."

"I call shotgun!" Raditz shouted as Krillin groaned, knowing he'd be sitting in the back with Yajirobe, not the most hygienic or pleasant of passengers.

"This will be a fun ride." Krillin muttered as he sulkily headed out the door, following the rest of the group.

Vegeta pulled out his keys as he headed to the car, yelling threats to his encroaching passengers against doing any harm to his car while riding in it. He sat in the driver's seat and faced forward to start the car, when his front passenger zoomed into the seat next to him.

"Kakarot! What the fuck?" He heard Raditz say with a loud clang and the feel of the car shaking abruptly. "I called shotgun!" He complained like an obstinate child as Goku sat smugly in the front seat.

"Raditz! Did you just kick my car?!" Vegeta yelled in disbelief. "I'll give you shotgun, you buffoon!" Vegeta growled as he tightened his fist, extending it towards Raditz. "Just get in the fucking backseat and stop whining!" The three unfortunate men riding in back squeezed into the backseat together as Vegeta started driving. "Don't think you got off easy." Vegeta warned Goku, as he noted the cocky grin on his passenger's face. "I'm only letting you get away with this because I hate your brother slightly more than you."

Goku simply gave Vegeta a nod and a big smile and said, "Okay, Vegeta." He looked out the window, resting his hands behind his head as he leaned back in his seat. Vegeta's threat couldn't ruin Goku's good mood today.

* * *

Bulma held a pair of jeans, appraising the cut and wash as she decided whether or not she should try them on. "What do you think, Chi-Chi?" She asked as she lightly elbowed her friend next to her who was browsing some other clothing on the rack. Chi-Chi continued browsing without paying any mind to Bulma's question. "Earth to Chi-Chi!" Bulma yelled into her ear, startling Chi-Chi.

"Geez, Bulma. What is it?" Chi-Chi asked with a giggle as she released the clothing she had been pulling from the rack and turned to her friend, smiling.

"What do you think of these jeans?" She queried again. Chi-Chi looked at the jeans thoughtfully and gave her a thumbs up, returning to her browsing with a smile. Bulma looked at 18, a few racks away, who had been watching the two of them curiously. 18 walked over, tilting her head as she studied Chi-Chi.

"Chi-Chi." 18 stated as she crossed her arms and leaned against the column which butted up against the clothing racks. "What is with you today?" She asked with a smirk.

Chi-Chi returned the blouse she had been absently staring at to the clothing rack, and turned to 18 with a big smile. 18 smiled back at her, unwillingly. She couldn't help it; she couldn't remember the last time she saw someone looking so happy. She quickly straightened her disobedient face as Chi-Chi spoke.

"He said it!" She gushed, looking back and forth at both of her curious and clueless friends as she stood between them. "He loves me!" Chi-Chi hugged Bulma tightly, needing to hug someone, anyone, as she could no longer contain the excitement she had been feeling since her moment in bed with Goku that morning. Bulma was speechless, as she shot a questioning look over Chi-Chi's shoulder at 18, who raised her eyebrows and shrugged at Bulma. Bulma gently squeezed back and Chi-Chi released her from the hug.

Bulma smiled kindly at Chi-Chi, feeling like she was looking at a clueless girl who was getting too wrapped up in her guy. Chi-Chi and Goku had been living together practically since they met, and now they were in love already? Even now, their relationship couldn't be two months in yet. With her personal recent experiences, she felt the need to protect Chi-Chi. Bulma noticed Chi-Chi looking expectantly between her two friends. 18 was speechless as well.

"Well? Aren't you going to say anything?" Chi-Chi asked excitedly.

"I don't know what to say, honestly." 18 said as she stepped away from the column. "I've never been in love. I've never had a guy say that to me. But you definitely seem happy. I just hope Goku doesn't do something to screw it up."

"Well I know what to say!" Bulma said as she placed her hands on her hips. "You better make sure he means it, Chi-Chi. Do you know how many times Yamcha told me he loved me? He might still love me as a friend, but I don't think he was ever in love with me. He never really meant it. And I was starting to think Vegeta had feelings for me, too." Bulma stopped herself before she went too deep into that conversation. Just mentioning Vegeta's name was painful for her right now. Chi-Chi was feeling angry as Bulma started her rant, but at that last statement, she could see Bulma's pain, and reached her hand out to Bulma's.

"Bulma, what happened?" She asked worriedly. Bulma noticed both of her friends were looking at her with concern now. Dammit! She didn't want to talk about herself right now.

"Ladies, can I help you find something?" The store clerk interrupted, intentionally, as she noticed this group of women chatting in her store and not shopping. Bulma was grateful for the interruption, but 18 was not.

"You can help us by letting us finish our conversation. Then, maybe if you're lucky, we'll buy something from your cheap store." 18 said bitterly as she waved the clerk away, turning her back abruptly to return to their conversation. The woman gaped for a moment and turned in a huff, waiting behind the counter as she stared at the group.

"Let's get out of here, I need to go to the lingerie shop anyways." Chi-Chi suggested, wanting to continue this conversation elsewhere, where there would be no audience.

"Ooo, lingerie shop, you really must be in love." 18 laughed as they headed out of the store and 18 raised her middle finger to the glaring store clerk.

"It's not that. I need to buy more panties." Chi-Chi said quietly as a few guys passed them and checked them out. "Our landlord is a total pervert, and Goku and I found out he stole some of mine!" Chi-Chi complained.

Bulma's mouth dropped. "Your landlord stole your panties? That nasty old man! Do you know he offered to let me in Vegeta and Raditz's apartment if I'd let him feel me up?" Chi-Chi and 18 gaped at Bulma. "Yeah, he's despicable." Bulma complained.

"You didn't do it, did you?" 18 asked, hoping to God the answer was no.

"No!" Bulma yelled, repulsed.

"Well, I'm just wondering what's got you so upset about Vegeta. If you didn't walk in on him with someone…"

"The old man told me girls have been going through that apartment like crazy. The boys have been busy, he said. Then when I saw a woman leaving, who had been with Raditz…..ughh!" Bulma said exasperatedly, wondering why she had gone ahead with this conversation.

"She told you she slept with Vegeta?" 18 guessed.

"Will you just let me talk?" Bulma asked, annoyed, as they entered the lingerie shop. Chi-Chi led the girls to the area of the store where she needed to browse while they continued their conversation, Chi-Chi listening intently as she shopped. "So…Raditz told me how great Maron was in bed, and said that Vegeta liked her, too." Chi-Chi dropped the panties she was holding and looked at Bulma in shock, while 18 looked pensively as she waited for Bulma to continue.

"You mean Vegeta cheated on you with that bitch that drugged Goku?" Chi-Chi cried, a little too loud as the other women in the shop stopped and stared at her for a moment.

"Maron drugged Goku?" Bulma asked incredulously. "Who is this woman?"

"Maron is Krillin's ex." 18 informed the other girls with a smirk, leaning her back against the table displaying panties.

"What the hell are you smiling about?" Bulma asked, feeling angry at 18 for finding any joy during her current crisis.

"I know something." 18 said as her smirk grew larger and she left Bulma and Chi-Chi in suspense for a few minutes. "Maron sleeping with Vegeta was the reason Krillin broke up with her. She tried to sleep with Goku, too. It really pissed Krillin off, and he dumped the bitch."

"Wait…" Bulma said as she thought carefully about this new information. "You mean Vegeta slept with Maron _before_ we were together?"

"Yeah. I guess that doesn't mean he didn't do it again afterwards." 18 said with a shrug. "It's just something to think about."

"Hey, wait!" Chi-Chi said, snapping her fingers, as it all made sense to her now. "Raditz is the one that told you about this? You need to talk to Vegeta, Bulma. It's possible that he slept with her again, but I bet Raditz was just talking about the one time he did and the idiot didn't bother to clarify that for you." Chi-Chi proudly grabbed the items she intended to purchase and strutted up to the register.

"I need to talk to Vegeta? Easier said than done." Bulma complained as she mulled over the multitude of thoughts going through her mind. It was definitely necessary if she didn't want to ruin her chances with Vegeta, but that was definitely not going to be an easy conversation, especially if Raditz conveyed her lie about the laundry room guy.


	14. Priceless

Priceless

"That game was incredible!" Raditz screamed as the guys raced around the crowds of people through the parking lot to Vegeta's car.

"I can't believe we won! I mean, it was so close!" Krillin exclaimed excitedly as he clenched his fists.

"Yeah. It was good, I guess." Yajirobe said with a shrug as he trailed a few feet behind the excited men. They all stopped and turned to look at him disbelievingly.

"It was good. You guess?" Vegeta asked slowly, feeling it was necessary, as he was currently addressing a moron.

"Why did you even want to come to the game?" Goku asked doubtfully.

"It's good for business." Yajirobe said with a proud smile. Yajirobe did spend a lot more time heading to the bathroom and making his rounds, talking to 'old friends' than he did watching the game. So it wasn't too surprising that was his aim the whole time.

The group made it to Vegeta's car, and sat themselves in the same places as before. After discussing details of the game for a while, the excitement finally died down. That's when Raditz seized the opportunity he'd been waiting for. He reached into Krillin's pocket, taking him by surprise. Krillin was quick to defend his possessions and fight Raditz off, so the two wrestled for a few minutes, causing a commotion as Yajirobe complained about being bumped and shoved. The yelling and kicking of his seat distracted Vegeta from driving, causing him to swerve the car as he turned back to the road just in time to avoid a fallen tree limb.

"Fuck!" Vegeta cursed.

"Raditz! Leave Krillin alone!" Goku yelled scoldingly from the front seat.

"Aha!" Raditz yelled victoriously as he held his fist in the air, clenching what he had been hoping to find. "Let's see what we've got here." He said as he turned his back to Krillin, facing the window, and carefully opened his palm.

"Give that back, Raditz!" Krillin yelled exasperatedly as he struggled to pull on Raditz's arms and reclaim what Raditz stole.

"Krillin?" Goku asked with worry, as he realized what Raditz now had. Krillin turned to Goku with a sad, apologetic look as Raditz inspected his prize.

"You didn't really think I'd forget about finding out what this stuff was, did you?" Raditz asked Goku with a smile as he held up a tiny, green pill.

"Hey, this isn't my problem." Yajirobe said as he watched what was happening and saw Goku and Krillin frowning at him. "I just give you the stuff; it's your job to hold onto it."

"So, what exactly is this?" Raditz asked as he raised an eyebrow in curiosity and sniffed the pill, trying to piece together what his brother was hiding from him.

"It's my own special blend, no one else sells anything like it. It's potent shit." Yajirobe said as he raised his chin in the air proudly. "I call it Senzu."

Raditz smiled broadly as he looked at the pill, then his brother. "So, you were afraid of me getting high?" He asked skeptically.

"No. I'm trying to stop you from throwing away all your money on drugs. You're supposed to be repaying Dad for all the money you borrowed, which was supposed to be my tuition money. Remember?" Goku asked as he narrowed his eyes angrily at his brother.

"Oh!" Raditz laughed. "You're just jealous because Dad paid my way through college, and you actually had to work!" Raditz continued laughing harder, as he held his stomach.

"Yeah! Because by the time I graduated high school, you already cost him a fortune squandering your college money on shit like this!" Goku yelled as he attempted to swing at his brother, being unable to reach him as Raditz sat on the driver's side, and Krillin was in the way.

"Sorry, bro. Sometimes it pays to be the older brother." Raditz said, sounding almost genuine, before he popped the Senzu in his mouth and swallowed.

"Hey! That was mine!" Krillin complained. He crossed his arms and sulked, knowing he only had one Senzu left now. He only used drugs a few times during college; it was a rare indulgence for him, even with a dealer for a roommate. He had hoped to share them with 18 today, but he wasn't going to shell out any money for more. First 18 ditched him for shopping, and now this. His plans for making today special weren't panning out so well. He scowled at Raditz, who was already grinning like an idiot. Raditz smiled as a thought came to him while musing over the conversation he and his brother just had.

"Hey...is that why you told me to move in with Vegeta? The money?" Raditz asked his brother as he leaned forward and rudely rested his elbow on Krillin's shoulder.

"What?!" Vegeta exclaimed as he looked at Goku in shock. Goku shook his head adamantly in denial.

"Yeah, he practically forced me. I wanted to stay at a fancy hotel for the month, but baby brother insisted I help his friend out."

Vegeta clenched the steering wheel with both hands, feeling his face heat up with rage. He looked at Goku, who was raising his palms defensively with an appeasing expression on his face.

"Sorry, Vegeta." Goku said with a nervous laugh. "I really thought you two would work out as roommates, and you did need somebody right away." Goku explained.

"Bullshit!" Vegeta spat. "You knew what a clown your brother was! And the only reason I needed a roommate was because you suddenly decided to move out with a woman you just met!" Vegeta's grip on the steering wheel tightened even more as he growled exasperatedly in anger.

"Hey, it hasn't all been bad." Raditz declared. "I've been with a lot of hot women since I stayed with you. That Maron is on the top of my list now. Too bad you wouldn't let me bang that Bulma chick, though. I bet she's really something." Raditz leaned back and chuckled, thinking to himself as Vegeta continued to fume in anger, and Krillin continued to sulk. Goku was on guard, preparing himself to be attacked by Vegeta when they got out of the car. He was sure Vegeta had no intentions of restraining himself today. Raditz started laughing hard as he remembered something. His riotous laughter was the only sound in the car as they rode for a while.

"I know you just took a Senzu, Raditz. But I'll ask anyways. Mind telling us what's so funny?" Krillin asked, not at all amused at the moment.

"I just remembered." Raditz said as he sighed and calmed down from the laughter. "Bulma stopped by the other night looking for Vegeta. I was disappointed she wasn't coming to see _me_, you know? Her face was priceless, though! I don't think I've ever seen a woman look so pissed, and that's saying a lot, coming from me." Raditz laughed as he elbowed Krillin tellingly.

They were approaching a red light, and Vegeta immediately slammed on the brakes, still several feet away from the red light as cars behind him were forced to slam on their brakes as well. Vegeta turned and glared at Raditz, angry that he never mentioned Bulma stopping by. Vegeta hadn't heard from her for several days, and was stubbornly waiting for her to cave and call him first, knowing the woman must be desperate to see him by now. He was wondering today if something was wrong, because she should have called already. He frowned at Raditz deeply, and the look in his eyes was so threatening, that even being high, Raditz knew Vegeta was dead serious when he asked, "What _exactly _did she say?"

Raditz gulped, then couldn't help laughing before forcing himself to be serious as he answered. "Uh, she told me to tell you she was looking for you, but she had to leave because…she had to do laundry?" Raditz said, unsure of himself as he couldn't remember exactly what she said.

Vegeta ignored the cars honking behind him and drivers yelling profanities as the light turned green and he remained parked in front of the intersection. He even ignored the other two idiots gawking at him in the backseat as well as the idiot sitting next to him who he was ready to kill. He forced himself to focus on Raditz. "And what did you say to her?" He said through his teeth.

"I just told her that the blond that was leaving was there with me. I even put in a good word for you, told her that you said she was the best you've ever had." Raditz said enthusiastically, glad he could offer some good news to the very pissed off Vegeta. "Oh yeah! I also told her Maron was fantastic, and she seemed interested in that. Maybe you could arrange a threesome." Raditz said as he raised his eyebrows suggestively with an idiotic smile.

Vegeta exhaled and took a deep breath, knowing he would not be able to form clear words with his jaw clenched as tightly as it currently was. And he needed to know more. "Bulma would not be _interested_ in Maron. Whatever else you said about Maron got her attention. What else did you say?!" Vegeta growled at Raditz.

"Hey, man. I don't know." Raditz laughed lazily when he was subsequently surprised by a sharp pain in the side of his head where Vegeta punched him.

Vegeta smirked. Damn, that felt good! "Did that jog your memory?" Vegeta asked, prepared to do more damage if he didn't start getting answers.

"Hey, hey! Let me think for a minute!" Raditz said as he held his hands up in defense, finally getting serious. "Oh! She asked if you thought Maron was good, too!" Vegeta raised an eyebrow questioningly, waiting for Raditz to explain how he answered that question to Bulma. "I told her yes, of course. But you liked Bulma better." Raditz said, crossing his arms in satisfaction as he expected that answer to get him off the hook. Vegeta collectedly put the car in park and stepped out of the car as his passengers watched him perplexedly.

"Vegeta?" Goku called to him worriedly, not having a good feeling about this.

Vegeta opened the passenger door behind his, forcefully dragging an off-guard Raditz onto the nearby sidewalk and beating him senseless until Krillin and Goku ran out to pull Vegeta off of him. Yajirobe stepped out of the car to join them, slowly walking to stand over Raditz with his arms crossed.

"What a waste of a Senzu." Yajirobe said as he shook his head sadly at the unconscious Raditz sprawled on the ground.

Vegeta violently struggled his way out of Goku and Krillin's grasp, returning to the driver's seat of his car. The other three bent down to help Raditz back into the car, only to hear the engine rev and tires skid as Vegeta sped off without them.

"Vegeta!" Krillin yelled furiously as he watched the car speed away.

Goku looked after the disappearing car and shook his head sadly. "I'll see if Chi-Chi can pick us up." He said as he reached for his phone.

Raditz groaned into Krillin's supportive shoulder as Goku started speaking to Chi-Chi on the phone. Yajirobe looked scared as he inspected the injuries all over Raditz and realized just how serious Vegeta was. He pulled out his phone with a deep frown. "You people are crazy. I'm getting my own ride home." He said as he put the phone to his ear and asked someone to pick him up.

Goku looked at Krillin and Yajirobe apologetically after Yajirobe hung up the phone. "I'm sorry you guys got stuck in the middle of this." He frowned at his brother's beaten and bloodied face as Raditz sucked in a pained breath and let out an anguished chuckle. It was definitely time for Raditz to go.

* * *

Krillin forced himself to shake off the earlier experiences of the day as he caressed 18's hand, sitting at the movie theater with her that night. His plans were now thrown to the wayside, as he had hoped to build this up all day, and take 18 by surprise. Their one month anniversary was only a week away, and he figured by making an earlier celebration of it, 18 would actually be surprised. She was not an easy person to surprise, he had realized, on the many dates they had been on during the weeks they've been together. Sure, she was surprised if he did something unexpected in the moment, but any plans he ever made to surprise her never seemed to have any effect. Krillin looked admiringly at 18, feeling lucky to be spending so much time with such a beautiful woman. He released his grip on her hand to wrap his arm over her shoulder, pulling 18 in tightly to him, as she willingly rested into his chest.

He was enjoying the movie, as much as he could with the anxiety of what was to come on his mind. He did have other motives for surprising 18 with this early celebration. She wasn't completely wrong when she said he wouldn't last a month. He just couldn't take it anymore. He had been taking cold showers and torturing himself with the holdout ever since their first date, and he was definitely envious of his friends who made him feel like he was the only college student on campus who wasn't having sex. He knew 18 was feeling it as well, which made tonight even more exciting. The movie credits and theme song started playing as the lights came on in the theatre, people rising from their seats. Krillin and 18 stood and headed out, following the slow-moving traffic down the steps and out the theater doors.

"Where to now?" 18 asked as she tossed her trash in the receptacle.

"Let's go for a drive." Krillin said with a smile, trying to hide his own disappointment. They had dinner earlier at Krillin's apartment. He cooked the best he could for her, hoping it would pass as romantic with the candles he lit on the table and music he played. What he had really hoped to do was take 18 to a fancy, impressive restaurant for their anniversary celebration, but he just couldn't afford something like that right now. With graduation closing in, he needed all the money he had to be prepared for moving on to grad school. A bachelor's degree in psychology doesn't open the door to many jobs, and he was hoping to actually meet with clients, something that requires at least a master's level degree. He was considering splurging tonight regardless of that, but he currently had a lot of bills that were due now, and used the money he had for that.

Krillin opened the door for 18, kissing her hand as she sat in the car and giggled at his antics. He could tell 18 seemed happy, so at least tonight was going well in her eyes. Krillin sat in the car, buckled and started it, and was happy to know that at least he had a destination which he knew was very private, and very romantic, and most of all, didn't cost anything.

"How was the football game?" 18 asked as they sat together and Krillin drove. Krillin frowned and shook his head. She had already asked about that at dinner, and he told her he didn't want to talk about it. He still felt that way, but knew she wanted him to tell her something or she wouldn't be asking again.

"I don't want to talk about it, because there was a lot of drama with the guys, and I don't want to ruin our night thinking about that right now, okay?" Krillin asked, almost begged, as he hoped that would suffice for now and 18 would drop it.

"Drama with the guys? I thought that was only something that happened with women." 18 said in surprise, smiling as she tried not to laugh when the image of men bickering like vindictive women entered her mind. She looked at Krillin to see he was dead serious about wanting her to drop it. "Okay. Let's forget about the day, then. Where are you taking me, anyways?"

"You'll see." Krillin said with a smile, letting out a relieved sigh now that he knew 18 was on the same page as him. Krillin pulled off the road, as 18 looked at him suspiciously. He stopped, seemingly, in the middle of nowhere. It was very quiet, there were trees all around, plenty of leafy grass, and there was a fantastic view in front of them of the lake near campus, and the shining lights of the bridge across the distance of the lake. 18 smirked at Krillin.

"Krillin, what are you up to?" She asked suspiciously. Krillin didn't bother to answer. He planted his lips on hers, kissing her deeply and greedily. 18 kissed back, happily surprised at Krillin's aggressive actions. Was this really it? Was he finally giving in? They pulled apart as they finally needed to catch their breath.

"Krillin, our anniversary isn't until next week…" 18 said, not really wanting to bring it up, but hoping he would confirm that this is what this was all about.

"Are you complaining now? I thought this was what you wanted?" Krillin asked teasingly as he climbed out of the car and went around to open 18's door.

18 smiled brightly as Krillin helped her out of the car, intending to lead her to the hood where they could enjoy the romantic view together. 18 held his hand tight and pulled Krillin to a stop before he could move towards the hood. "Forget that. We've waited long enough." 18 said as she opened the back door of the car and pulled her panties down from below her dress. Krillin gaped in disbelief as 18 kicked the panties over her shoes and tossed them inside the car, giving him a sharp nod towards the backseat with a sexy expression. He couldn't contain his smile as he followed her into the backseat, hoping he wasn't ruining the mood with the goofy grin he must be wearing.

Krillin leaned over 18, supporting his body weight as they resumed kissing, and greedily feeling each other up, something they had done before only a few times. Krillin couldn't believe how amazing 18's breasts felt in his hands, and immediately felt himself hardening as soon as he was touching her. He reminded himself to stay in control, it had been a while, and he wanted to make this last for 18. Krillin licked 18's ear, his breath on her neck teasing her as she anticipated what she had been waiting for for weeks now. Krillin reached his hand down between 18's thighs and started fingering her, feeling himself getting harder as he felt how wet and tight she was. He massaged her clit as 18 arched her back in satisfaction and moaned, until she quivered and came. She had never had an orgasm just from a man's hand before, and was feeling impressed with Krillin already. Krillin reached in his pocket and pulled out a condom, unbuttoning his pants as 18 leaned forward and started kissing him hungrily. He frantically pulled down his pants and tried to put the condom on, something that was proving very difficult with the way 18 was kissing him and driving him crazy. He finally pulled away regretfully, so he could get the thing on already. When 18 saw he had it on, she laid back on the seat, eyeing him enticingly. Krillin climbed over 18 and settled between her thighs, pushing himself into her as they both groaned in satisfaction together. Krillin took a few harsh breaths to calm himself before moving again. He couldn't remember being inside a woman ever feeling this good before, and they hardly started. Once he felt in control again, Krillin slowly pulled out and pumped back into 18 harshly, as she warned him to be careful when her head hit the car door uncomfortably. He slowed it down and repeatedly thrust in controlled movements for only a minute before he felt like he was going to lose it. 18 was writhing beneath him, and he could tell she was ready to cum as well. Just as he felt the need to ask her if she was ready yet, because he was going to lose it, 18 yelled out and tightened her thighs around him, making Krillin cum. He swore his body was tingling down to his toes after that. They panted and smiled at each other, and Krillin realized that even though money was tight and the football game and Senzu didn't work out, this was the best date they'd ever had.

* * *

Vegeta sat in a hard, plastic chair, reading the sports section of the college newspaper. He wore a hoodie, which he begrudgingly had pulled over his head before entering this room. He was careful to keep the paper raised high enough that no one would see his face. He turned his head quickly as the sound of shuffling footsteps entered through the open door, hoping this person would finally be the one he'd been waiting to see. He grunted in disappointment when it was yet again just another unknown person with a basket full of laundry. He had been there for about an hour and a half, he realized as he checked his watch. But he didn't care. He would wait as long as it took.

He drove straight here after leaving Raditz and the rest of them on the side of the road. He knew Bulma did laundry around this time, on this day of the week, conveniently enough. Once she showed up, he would see who this mystery man was when she started talking to someone. And then…well, he hadn't decided just what he was going to do yet. But he might just go all out. He was on a roll now, after finally dealing with Raditz. After this, Goku would be next. It was both of their faults that this was all happening. Bulma would have never been driven into the arms of another man if Raditz kept his big mouth shut, and Raditz wouldn't even be there in the first place if it weren't for Goku and his lousy, selfish ideas. Vegeta was distracted from his thoughts when he heard footsteps approaching again, these sounding more light and feminine than the last footsteps he heard. He unknowingly smiled when he recognized the beautiful shade of blue hair and smiling face of the woman entering the laundry room. Had it only been a few days since he last saw her? He felt like he was seeing her for the first time, and he had never seen anyone so beautiful. Sure, she was dressed in sweatpants and a t-shirt, her hair was in a sloppy ponytail, and she wasn't wearing much makeup, but none of that detracted from her beauty. Vegeta caught himself lowering the paper as he gazed at her, and quickly raised it, hoping she hadn't recognized him. He looked into the words of the newspaper, thinking over a confusing thought as he still waited for Bulma's mysterious laundry guy to show.

If Bulma had been seeing a 'cute guy' who she was now dating in the laundry room, wouldn't she come down to do laundry a little more done-up? She always wore makeup and sexy clothing, and had perfect hair when Vegeta would see her. Even in her apartment, when she was supposedly relaxing and inviting him over for an impromptu visit, she looked like she put more effort into her look than now. Someone else entered the laundry room, and Vegeta glanced over his paper to see a tall, scrawny looking man with a huge bag of laundry that almost seemed too heavy for him to handle. He was ready to discard any thoughts of watching this guy when he heard Bulma's voice.

"Hey! How are you?" Bulma said happily as she patted the man on the shoulder. What the hell? This couldn't possibly be her guy. She'd have to be out of her mind to get involved with a guy like him when she had Vegeta. Vegeta knew he was good looking and sexy, and women were after him all the time. Bulma should feel lucky to have him. What the hell?! He thought as the man continued telling Bulma all about his stupid pet turtle and job at the local ice cream shop, and Bulma smiled and looked at him interestedly. That smile wasn't meant for him! Vegeta fumed angrily, looking into his paper as he shook his head, this just couldn't be happening.

From across the laundry room, where Bulma had chosen a washing machine, Vegeta heard Bulma mutter, "Sssshit!" He heard her mumble something to Scrawny, which he couldn't make out. He looked up a moment later to see her gone. Where did she go?

Vegeta was derailed from his search for Bulma when someone was standing over him, and the voice he heard being so close made him jump in his chair. "Excuse me. Do you have any extra coins I can borrow? I forgot to bring some money for the machines down with me." He knew that beautiful voice, he knew it too well. Vegeta kept the newspaper high as he responded, trying to conceal his voice.

"No, sorry." He said, making it appear that he was too engrossed in his newspaper article to look away.

"Please? You don't just have a couple of quarters?" Bulma asked as she pulled the paper down, feeling the need to see a face in order to have a conversation. Vegeta's eyes widened as Bulma's eyes met his. Her eyes widened as well as soon as she recognized him.

"Vegeta?!" She exclaimed as her mouth dropped. Then she set her mouth into a hard line, glaring furiously at him. Yes, she was pissed. Raditz was right. That face _was_ priceless.


	15. Secrets

Secrets

"Vegeta! Are you spying on me?!" Bulma asked incredulously. Vegeta shrunk in his chair for just a second, knowing he was caught. But then he remembered that Bulma was the one who was seeing someone else based on a misconception, and he hadn't done anything wrong. He immediately straightened his posture.

"Me? I'm just doing some laundry." He said with a smug smile as he placed the newspaper down on the chair next to him and crossed his arms.

"Just doing laundry? With a hoodie covering your hair?" Bulma asked as she reached for the hoodie and pulled it down aggressively to expose his unique and recognizable locks. "Enough, Vegeta. Did Raditz tell you I stopped by?" Bulma asked venomously as she crossed her arms and raised an accusatory eyebrow at him. Vegeta frowned, then scowled angrily as he thought back to his earlier conversation with Raditz. Bulma watched Vegeta carefully, waiting for an answer, when she noticed a dark discoloration on Vegeta's jawline. She grabbed his chin and turned his head to take a look at it, taking Vegeta by surprise. He looked at her confused for a moment, then noticed Bulma's expression become perplexed.

"What happened to you?" Bulma asked, realizing what she was looking at was bruising. She also noticed some pieces of gravel in his hair and his hands looking dirty. Vegeta realized what Bulma must have been looking at as he looked at his own hands.

"I beat the shit out of Raditz." He admitted. Bulma looked at Vegeta, stunned. Why would he do that, besides the usual reasons? He managed to restrain himself all this time, what could have finally set him off?

"Why?" She couldn't help asking. With Raditz, there could be a million reasons she would guess before speculating on the right one.

Vegeta stared at Bulma, not sure what he should say. He looked past Bulma where he noticed someone else in the laundromat had walked towards the machine Bulma had been planning on using, looking ready to steal it. He reached in his pocket and gave Bulma a dollar.

"Here." He said roughly as he nodded in that direction. Bulma took the dollar, studying Vegeta's demeanor. What was he hiding now? She went to finish loading her laundry, glancing at Vegeta occasionally, as she worried that he might try and slip away in avoidance of this conversation. She was thoughtful for the few minutes away from him. She thought of him with Maron, and just the slightest possiblity that he had been with her recently turned her thoughts back to anger. She stalked back to Vegeta angrily after finishing the laundry setup.

"Vegeta. Did you sleep with Maron _after_ she broke up with Krillin?" Bulma asked point blank as she maintained a stern expression, though her heart pounded in her chest as she feared hearing the answer she hoped not to hear. She couldn't even begin to have a conversation with him until she knew the answer to that question. The one that had been burning in her mind for the past few days.

"No." Vegeta answered honestly, his face remaining stoic. He looked at Bulma challengingly as he asked, "Now what do you have to say for yourself?", feeling she had no way to defend her actions of pursuing this other guy when he hadn't even strayed from her. Bulma studied Vegeta's face carefully, trying to detect any hint of deceit. She smiled when she decided Vegeta was telling the truth, causing Vegeta to frown in confusion as he was prepared for her to fight with him. Before he could say anything, Bulma hastily sat in the chair next to him and planted her lips on his, kissing him deeply as she held his face in her palms. Vegeta forgot all about his confusion when Bulma's delicious lips touched his. He wrapped his arms around her as they kissed deeply, until they heard a voice interrupt them.

"Hey, get a room!" They heard as they separated and turned to the playful voice of the man leaving the room, Bulma's scrawny friend. Vegeta glared at the man, and the man stepped back in surprise, then hastily left the laundry room.

Vegeta turned back to Bulma, studying her curiously as he couldn't make sense of her actions. She didn't seem to be hiding anything or worried. "Aren't you forgetting about something?" He asked harshly, hoping the hint would remind her that she needed to apologize, or explain something here. Bulma looked back at Vegeta, completely confused, as she was still feeling euphoric after that kiss, and the blissful revelation that Vegeta hadn't been sleeping with anyone else. She looked around the room as she racked her brain trying to figure out what Vegeta wanted her to remember. The washing machine finished her clothes, and she headed to move her clothing to the dryer as she thought. While starting the dryer, it hit her. She looked at her laundry tumbling in the dryer, then around the room and laughed. She sat next to Vegeta who was scowling and looking angry now, not understanding what she was laughing about.

"Raditz _did_ give you my message, didn't he?" Bulma asked with a smug smile. Vegeta didn't need to say anything, his face said it all as he responded by scowling even deeper than he already was. "And that's why you beat him up? Because of what he told me that night?" She guessed, proud to put the pieces together. "And that's why we're _here _now, in my building's laundromat." She stated happily, smiling at Vegeta, as her demeanor finally communicated to him that there was no need to worry about this 'laundry room guy'. Bulma leaned in to whisper to Vegeta playfully. "I'll let you in on a little secret, Vegeta. There never was a cute guy in the laundry room. That one that just left is probably the cutest I've seen in here before you came in today." Vegeta gasped in disbelief. This woman was playing him the whole time? His shocked face made Bulma laugh, and she leaned in and kissed him again, noticing him flinch as she placed her hand on his bruised face.

"You want to come upstairs and get cleaned up?" Bulma asked seductively, picking up Vegeta's dirty hands in hers as they both inspected them.

"Sure." He said with a sexy smile, heading out of the laundry room with Bulma right behind him. They could come back for the laundry later. It would still be there when they got back.

* * *

Goku was in a hot bath, in a barrel outside of a quaint house in the mountains. He was enjoying the heat as the bath eased his sore muscles and the steam rising from the water soothed him, along with the breeze rustling in the nearby trees. He was disrupted from his relaxation when Chi-Chi emerged from the little house to hang some laundry, and started yelling at him for not being more helpful with the chores. Then yelling at him for not spending enough time with her. Then yelling at him for not driving her to the store today to go shopping. Goku closed his eyes and sunk into the tub as he attempted to escape his angry girlfriend's rebuking, only to feel a vibration and roll over, finding himself tangled in the sheets. Wait, what?

He opened his eyes and looked around, disoriented, only to realize he was in bed in his apartment. Chi-Chi was in bed next to him, apparently just having climbed back in. He rubbed his eyes and looked through his hazy early morning vision at the alarm clock on the nightstand to see that it was 4:12 a.m.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?" He heard Chi-Chi whisper as she wrapped herself in the blankets and rolled onto her side.

Goku turned to wrap his arms around her, spooning her as they both snuggled comfortably in bed again. "I guess so." Goku said with a yawn. "But I have to get up soon anyways."

Chi-Chi sighed deeply. "I don't understand why you have to get up so early." Chi-Chi complained tiredly, wishing Goku would just stay and snuggle with her for a while. She could probably stay longer and get a comfortable, decent sleep for a while if he wasn't rushing off so early.

"Are you still having trouble sleeping?" Goku asked with concern. This wasn't the first time he caught Chi-Chi climbing into or out of bed at odd hours of the night or early morning. She claimed to be having a problem with insomnia. He hadn't noticed any insomnia for the first month they were together, but who knows? Maybe she just went through a streak of luck for a while, some sort of effect of leaving her ex and moving into a new place. Chi-Chi didn't seem concerned at all, so Goku couldn't complain. He just encouraged her to get more sleep.

"Yeah. This should pass soon, though." Chi-Chi said assuringly, her standard reply to the question. Goku inhaled the scent of Chi-Chi's hair as they lay together; she smelled like jasmine flowers and honey. He fell asleep for a little while, but woke to the blaring alarm clock, feeling like he had only slept for a second. He stretched his arm to the nightstand and slammed his hand down on the snooze button, groaning as he was comfortable and did not want to get up right now. He noticed Chi-Chi was sleeping. He did not want to wake her, so he carefully and quietly climbed out of bed, getting dressed and eating a quick breakfast before heading to the gym.

This was his usual morning routine on weekdays. He made a point of working out early in the morning. Anytime he'd try and workout during regular hours, he'd be bombarded by a client or two asking him questions about their training. He didn't mind, but it got to be a problem when he couldn't finish a single workout. He took his training seriously, so it came down to very early workouts being a necessity. But by now, he was used to it, and actually enjoyed it.

* * *

Goku finished his run around the indoor track. He came in fast, beating his own record time for a mile. He just loved to run, it felt like flying. It was during those runs where he could really think clearly about things. Like that dream this morning. He loved being with Chi-Chi, and thought it was strange to be dreaming of her being so…so…bitchy. The scary part was, he was realizing little by little, Chi-Chi was having more of those moments lately in reality. She'd be happy one moment, then snap at him for the littlest thing. He realized he'd have to find a way to help her with this insomnia problem, if he didn't want to keep suffering the brunt of how cranky it was making her.

Goku looked at the clock on the wall, and realized his first client of the day would be there in a few minutes. He had just recently started training with Piccolo. Piccolo was already in great shape and had been training on his own for years, but wanted to train with Goku to take it up a notch when he saw how much more challenging Goku's routine was. Goku was struggling to remember what day of the week it was when he saw Piccolo walk through the doors of the gym, coming towards him with a wave.

"Hey, Piccolo! You ready?" Goku asked as he led him to the free weights.

"Yeah, but today's Tuesday, Goku." Piccolo answered as he planted himself where he stood rather than following Goku any further.

Goku wrinkled his eyebrows in confusion for a moment, then tilted his head back as he sighed, realizing Piccolo was right. No free weights today. Goku extended his arm in the direction of the abdominal machines, prepared to lead Piccolo through his grueling ab routine.

After the workout, Piccolo looked at Goku suspiciously while dabbing his perspiring face with a hand towel. "You've been a little off lately, Goku."

"Off? No, my workouts have been going great." Goku said with certainty.

"I'm not talking about your workout." Piccolo said, just as Goku noticed Chi-Chi walking into the gym, hastily walking to him with her hand outstretched, something clutched in it. He tilted his head, surprised to see her there. She was obviously not there for a workout as she was dressed in tailored white pants, black ballet flats, and a striped t-shirt with a matching satchel over her shoulder.

"Goku! You forgot your phone again!" She chastized as she carelessly released the item she had been clutching into Goku's hand, which luckily was there fast enough to catch it thanks to his quick reflexes.

"Oh! Thanks for bringing it to me, Chi-Chi." Goku said gratefully, ignoring Chi-Chi's unpleasant demeanor. "Chi-Chi, do you know Piccolo?" Goku asked as he turned to Piccolo, intending to introduce them.

"Yeah, hi Piccolo." Chi-Chi said disinterestedly. "Look, I have to go to class." Chi-Chi sighed as she smiled at Goku. "I just wanted to make sure you had that." Chi-Chi said in a much sweeter tone as she lifted on her toes and gave Goku a kiss on the cheek.

Piccolo watched Chi-Chi leave, frowning at her cold behavior towards him. "What's with your girlfriend?" Piccolo asked a perturbed looking Goku.

Goku sighed. "You noticed?" Piccolo scoffed, as if it was impossible not to notice. "I think she's overtired, and it's making her temperamental. Do you know anything about insomnia, Piccolo?"

"Yeah. I have it sometimes. I usually meditate, that's what helps me. I tried sleeping pills, but I don't like medicating myself if it's not necessary. So that's Chi-Chi's problem?" Piccolo asked, as if he expected there to be more to it than that.

"Yeah. Sleeping pills, huh?" Goku asked as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Yeah." Piccolo said gruffly as he headed to the locker room, Goku following closely.

"Do you have any now? Maybe I can give some to Chi-Chi, to help her out." Goku suggested.

"Yeah. Like I carry sleeping pills in my gym bag." Piccolo remarked sarcastically as he opened his locker, gathering the things he needed for the shower. "If you want some, just get your own. But I'm not sure that's going to fix your problem with her, Goku. I think she's just a bitch, always has been, always will be." Piccolo complained as he stalked off toward the showers, leaving Goku worrying that maybe Piccolo was right about Chi-Chi. But he'd never tell her that.

* * *

Bulma poked at her salad, eyeing it suspiciously as she could have sworn she saw something foreign in there with the last movement of her fork. She glanced around the room, wondering if anyone else was eating this stuff, when her companion started talking.

"I just love these chipotle wraps! I'm addicted!" Chi-Chi said as she eagerly took another bite of her beloved, newly discovered food.

"Chi, it's just a wrap." Bulma complained as she tossed her fork on the table, disgusted with her own food. "I mean, if you're going to get addicted to something, it should be chocolate, or martinis, or sex." Bulma explained as her list of addictions became gradually more exciting. Chi-Chi laughed as she noticed Bulma's eyes lighting up with pleasure as she spoke.

"Hey, speaking of sex," Chi-Chi said with a smirk, "did you ever talk to Vegeta about that Maron thing like I told you to?" Bulma grimaced. Like Chi-Chi told her to. Sure, that's why she talked to Vegeta. Because Chi-Chi told her to.

"It's funny you mention that." Bulma said as she decided to toss the salad, focusing on finishing her smoothie instead, which she could only pray contained just the ingredients advertised. "Goku told you about what happened with him and Raditz, right?" Bulma questioned, not sure how much of this story she could skip to get to the good parts.

"Yeah!" Chi-Chi laughed. "He's such a dick. I'm so glad he's leaving tomorrow. So…oh, so wait." Chi-Chi said as she realized the connection between the Raditz situation and Bulma's talk with Vegeta. "Vegeta _did_ go to your apartment after he ditched the guys on the side of the road!" Bulma laughed as she hadn't been told about that little detail of that day. Bulma figured Vegeta had dropped everyone off before coming to see her, or rather, stalk her. She laughed again as she pictured the guys stranded on the side of the road, Raditz looking like shit after taking the harsh beating Vegeta had described.

"Yeah, go ahead and laugh." Chi-Chi complained grumpily. "You weren't the one who had to pick them up, and hear the crazy story all the way home with Raditz moaning and bleeding all over your backseat." Bulma tried to stifle another laugh, knowing Chi-Chi was dead serious, but that image was even funnier in Bulma's mind. "Anyways!" Chi-Chi said loudly over Bulma's raucous laughter as an indication that it was time for this conversation to move on. "You were saying?" Bulma's laughter slowly died down, as she calmed herself to finish relaying her good news. She sipped her smoothie, and prepared to tell all.

"When I saw Vegeta that night…let's just say we made up." Bulma said with a sly smile as Chi-Chi gaped at her.

"Hold on. You're sleeping together again?" Chi-Chi asked as Bulma nodded, smiling. "Bulma! What's to stop something like this from happening again? I thought you wanted him to admit that he had feelings for you." Chi-Chi said dissapointedly as she drank her water, the last bit left of her meal. The two women dumped their trash and headed to the ladies' room, a routine they had down after having a few lunch dates together like this since meeting. Chi-Chi continued looking scoldingly at Bulma as they walked in silence, while Bulma maintained a smug smile. "What are you smiling about?" Chi-Chi finally asked curiously as she opened the door to the empty bathroom, as Bulma wondered what took her so long.

Bulma chose a bathroom stall and entered as she continued talking through the partitions, and Chi-Chi followed suit and did the same. "You think I'm foolish enough to just give Vegeta what he wants without protecting myself first?" Bulma asked, truly curious to see how Chi-Chi would answer that question.

"Protecting yourself?" Chi-Chi repeated loudly in confusion. "I'm not sure what you mean by that, but yeah, I do think you might just give Vegeta what he wants when it comes to sex. It's what you want, too, Bulma. Don't try to pretend it isn't." Chi-Chi said as a loud flush rang through the bathroom, and the door of Bulma's stall slammed open as she headed to the sink. "Dammit." Bulma heard Chi-Chi mutter, her voice just barely audible over the running water of the sink and still-flushing toilet. Another toilet flush and door slamming, and Chi-Chi came out of her stall, joining Bulma at the sink as they washed their hands and checked themselves over in the mirror. Bulma smirked at Chi-Chi.

"I told him I'd be his girlfriend before we got physical that night. It was obvious he wanted to, with how angry he was at Raditz over almost ruining things between us, and his stalking me to see if I had another boyfriend." Chi-Chi looked confused at that last statement, but Bulma decided it wasn't worth explaining, as Chi-Chi seemed distracted and a little disturbed about something. "So, Vegeta is my boyfriend now, Chi-Chi. He couldn't possibly deny it, he doesn't want to see anyone else with me." No reaction. Bulma snarled. Where did she lose Chi-Chi in that conversation? It just got to the best part, and she's in another world. "Chi-Chi?" Chi-Chi snapped to attention, frowning at Bulma.

"Yeah, I heard you. Good for you, Bulma. You and Vegeta make a good couple." Chi-Chi smiled, but to Bulma, her voice sounded worried.

"What's happening with you lately, Chi-Chi?" Bulma decided to ask the broad question, not wanting to pry directly, but definitely sensing that Chi-Chi might need to talk about something.

"Me? Oh, I'm fine." Chi-Chi said, though Bulma wasn't buying it.

"You can talk to me, Chi-Chi. Whatever is bothering you, I won't judge." Bulma offered, putting a hand on Chi-Chi's shoulder as Chi-Chi's gaze turned to the ground and she sighed deeply.

"I just have this sneaking suspicion…" Chi-Chi started, raising her eyes to study Bulma suspiciously before continuing.

"What?" Bulma asked, meeting Chi-Chi's eyes carefully, while hoping not to deter her distrustful looking friend from confiding in her.

"I'm not sure about this. And I don't want what I'm about to say getting back to Goku. Understand?" Chi-Chi said threateningly as she looked back into Bulma's eyes intensley.

"I'm all ears." Bulma said with a smile. "Your secret's safe with me."


	16. Highs And Lows

Highs And Lows

Krillin opened the door with a huge smile on his face and a bag of chips in his hand. "18! Come in!" Krillin welcomed, obviously happy about her surprise visit. 18 followed Krillin into the apartment, heading straight for the couch as he led the way. Visiting Krillin in his apartment had become a familiar routine for 18. "Are we bringing anything?" 18 asked casually as Krillin abruptly started laughing loudly. She shot him a disconcerted look.

"I love this show! It's so funny!" Krillin chortled, now rocking back and forth on the couch as he continued laughing harder. He dug his hand in the chip bag and pulled a handful out, munching happily as he continued watching the TV. 18 looked at the screen, wondering what had gotten into Krillin. Usually she had his full attention, no matter what was going on.

"Cartoons?" She questioned disbelievingly. "I didn't think you watched cartoons, Krillin." 18 said suspiciously. Something was definitely up with Krillin.

"Not usually." Krillin said, as he suddenly pursed his lips in confusion. "What do you mean 'am I bringing anything'?" He asked, obviously lost.

"To Chi-Chi and Goku's apartment." 18 reminded forcefully, feeling annoyed with Krillin's behavior.

"For what?" He asked as he scratched his head.

"Didn't Goku tell you?" 18 said frustratedly. "We're supposed to be there in half an hour. They're having a lunch send off thing for Raditz because he's leaving today." 18 huffed as she plopped backwards into the couch. This was not working out at all how she had hoped. You just can't depend on guys to make plans. Krillin drew his attention back to the TV and started laughing again, apparently unperturbed by 18's news. 18 leaned in close to kiss him, hoping to make her plan work, regardless of Krillin's off behavior. When her eyes met his up close, she noticed they were very glassy and red. She quickly backed off, much to Krillin's disappointment as he realized what she was about to do.

"Krillin, are you high?" 18 asked in astonishment.

"No!" Krillin exclaimed with an offended-looking expression, dragging out the word. 18 narrowed her eyes at him, inspecting him more closely, and he burst out laughing.

"Krillin!" 18 reproached, realizing her suspicions were true. "Unbelievable! I skipped class to come here early. I thought we'd get in a quickie before going to the lunch." 18 huffed, crossing her arms and leaning away from Krillin.

"Really? Awww, 18, I'm sorry, really I am. I didn't expect this." Krillin said disappointedly as he reached his hand forward, intending to caress 18, before she violently slapped it away.

"Of course not. If you expected it, it wouldn't be a surprise." 18 complained as Krillin resumed noshing on his chips.

"We can still do it if you want." Krillin said as he leaned into 18 lazily. 18 pushed him away, knocking him off the couch. She was thoroughly turned off by Krillin right now.

"No way! You just missed your opportunity. I'll make you some coffee before we have to go. Maybe I'll just head to their apartment early after the coffee's ready _alone_." 18 threatened Krillin as she headed into his kitchen.

She returned to the living room with a cup of coffee for Krillin, handing it to him as she held her own cup. Krillin looked dejected, and she actually felt bad for the way she reacted. If Krillin wanted to get high, that was fine with her. It was his timing that pissed her off. But if Goku didn't invite him over, he had no way of knowing that this wasn't good timing.

She noticed him watching her carefully as he drank his coffee, apparently afraid to say anything to her now. She rolled her eyes and sipped her coffee, then leaned back into the couch with her mug in hand. "You're not planning on getting high again anytime soon, are you?" She finally asked.

"No!" Krillin said, straightening up as he seemed grateful for 18's apologetic tone. "I just had this one Senzu from Yajirobe, and I don't have anymore now. I don't want anymore!" Krillin said with a large smile, hoping 18 would not be holding this against him. 18 nodded understandingly. She sighed as she realized it was almost time to go. She didn't know why Chi-Chi and Goku were bothering to have any sort of a goodbye for Raditz. The jerk sure as hell didn't deserve it. 18 noticed Krillin set his coffee down after finishing it, and stand as he prepared to get ready to leave the apartment. Sometimes she felt like he was reading her mind. She smiled at her adorable little man as she watched him walking around the apartment, turning off electronics and putting his mug in the sink. At least Krillin would be at this thing with her.

"Let's go." She said as she stood up, and took Krillin's hand, leaving the apartment and taking the short walk downstairs to Goku and Chi-Chi's apartment. They knocked on the door, frowning as they were greeted by Raditz himself.

"Hey! You guys came to my party!" Raditz said in surprise. Apparently this send-off was as shocking to him as it was for everyone else.

"It's not a party, Raditz." They heard Chi-Chi correct as she walked from behind him, pushing him aside as she hugged 18 and Krillin. "Thanks for coming, guys."

"Yeah. Whatever you say, _Sis_." Raditz said teasingly. "All your friends are coming, and we're eating, and it's for me. I call that my party." He said as he swung the door shut behind him, only to be surprised as it was forced back in his direction, nearly hitting him. Raditz swiftly dodged the door and turned around to see Vegeta in the doorway, Bulma smiling right behind him.

Vegeta frowned at Raditz, and Raditz frowned back at Vegeta. Vegeta crossed his arms and stood by the wall, obviously not happy about being there. Bulma entered the apartment, moving past Raditz as she hugged 18 and said hi to Krillin, then Chi-Chi. Goku brought out the bowl of punch and cups as everyone started doling their drinks.

"Before anyone asks, this punch is non-alcoholic." Chi-Chi explained. "I have class in a few hours, and I figured someone else might have classes or work, so I'm keeping this simple for lunch." 18 noticed Bulma out of the corner of her eye giving Chi-Chi a look, and Chi-Chi looking back at Bulma warningly before continuing. "I just made sandwiches, but as you all know, Raditz is leaving in a few hours, moving on to his next campus."

"Yeah! Miami!" Raditz yelled, hopping excitedly where he stood, as he spilled some drops of the bright red punch on the linoleum.

"Raditz! Dammit!" Chi-Chi complained, knowing she'd have to clean that up.

"I've got it, I've got it. I'm not an invalid." Raditz said with a smile as he placed his cup on the edge of the table and went to the kitchen to get a wet paper towel. He bent down and wiped the spill, only to bump the table as he stood, knocking the rest of the punch from his cup onto the ground. "Whoops." Raditz said with a guilty smile as he noticed some of the punch had spilled on him as well. He turned away from the large spill and walked down the hall to the bathroom, fussing over his stained shirt.

Chi-Chi growled and rubbed her forehead in frustration as Goku sighed and started massaging her shoulders. Vegeta glowered down the hall where Raditz had just disappeared. "Why can't we just tell him to leave right now?" Vegeta roared.

"I've got it, Chi-Chi." Bulma said supportively as she headed to the kitchen and grabbed some paper towels and cleaner, wiping and cleaning the spill. 18 watched all this in amusement, turning to see Krillin had already sat down, delving into one of the sandwiches Chi-Chi had already set out. Of course he couldn't wait to eat. How pathetic, she thought.

She shrugged and decided to join him anyways. Goku noticed them eating and looked envious as he continued rubbing Chi-Chi's tense shoulders. 18 smirked at him, taking a big bite of her sandwich and making a show of how delicious it was. She still didn't completely forgive him for that poker game kiss. She had Krillin now, but it still felt good to do a little something vindictive to get under his skin. Raditz emerged from the bathroom, not showing any signs of apology for the deserted spill.

Goku released Chi-Chi's shoulders and walked right up to his brother, talking to him in hushed tones that 18 couldn't hear. She wished she knew what they were talking about, because Raditz looked pretty shocked. Raditz gaped, then laughed at his brother, until 18 was shocked to see Goku harshly slap Raditz upside the head and point with an extended arm forcefully to the door. The two of them stopped talking, just staring at each other for a minute. Then they gave each other a quick brotherly hug, exchanging a few words, and Raditz headed out the apartment door wordlessly, with only a brief wave to the inhabitants of the room. 18 looked around the room, wondering if anyone else knew what just happened there. She was glad to see everyone looking as confused as she was, except Goku of course.

"What just happened?" Chi-Chi asked Goku as soon as he returned to the kitchen.

Goku smiled warmly at Chi-Chi. "Raditz just left. I had enough of him. We can have this goodbye-Raditz-party-lunch-thing without him anyways." Goku said with a smile as he grabbed a beer from the fridge.

"Kakarot!" Vegeta yelled, Goku immediately cringing at the address. "You mean to tell me that you tolerated all that shit from your brother all month, and now you send him away for a spill?" Vegeta ridiculed.

Goku laughed. "I guess when you put it that way, it sounds ridiculous. But I guess that was the final straw, and I could tell no one was having a good time with him here. Am I right?" Everyone nodded vigorously, definitely thankful to know that Raditz would not be around anymore. "So I kicked him out." Goku said as he practically leapt onto the couch with his beer in hand. Chi-Chi wore a relieved smile as she grabbed two sandwiches and joined Goku on the couch and handed him his. Vegeta remained by the wall, staring at Goku. 18 assumed after the football game incident Krillin had told her about, Vegeta must still be angry with him. Bulma grabbed a sandwich and sat next to 18. 18 was happy to see her. The two friends had not talked recently.

"Hey, Bulma. I hear congratulations are in order." 18 said interestedly, raising her eyebrows as she glanced Vegeta's way. "You caught your man, huh?"

"Yeah." Bulma laughed. "Caught him in more than one sense of the word." Bulma looked at Krillin and 18 questioningly.

"I'm going to talk to Goku for a while, let you two catch up." Krillin said as he stood to throw his trash away and went to join Goku and Chi-Chi in the living room.

"How did you know, anyways? I haven't talked to you since then." Bulma asked as she picked up her sandwich and started eating.

"Chi-Chi told me." 18 said curtly, taking another bite from her sandwich.

"Oh?" Bulma said after taking a moment to finish chewing. She smiled with a curious expression on her face. "Has Chi-Chi told you anything else interesting lately?" 18 considered Bulma's waiting expression. She looked excited to hear 18's answer. 18 frowned as she thought carefully, but no, nothing as interesting as what Bulma was apparently expecting.

"No." 18 said with a smile, glancing at Chi-Chi, who was talking with Goku and Krillin and eating a sandwich, seemingly happily. "Why? What did she tell you?"

"Chi-Chi didn't tell me anything. I just thought while Chi-Chi was telling you about my life, maybe she had something interesting of her own to tell." Bulma said, a bit huffily. 18 knew Bulma could be a really good liar. And she was sure Bulma wanted to talk about something, she knew that look. Bulma knew something, 18 just knew it.

"Really, Bulma. Come out with it. I want to know." 18 said, continuing to watch Chi-Chi. Chi-Chi looked towards them, catching Bulma and 18 huddled together and looking at her. She watched them with anxiety, then anger. 18 realized she might have just got Bulma in trouble.

"Shit!" Bulma whispered, smiling nervously back at Chi-Chi. "I promised her I wouldn't tell, and now she thinks I told you!" Bulma said as she glared at 18. 18 smiled back at Bulma apologetically.

"I'll go over there and tell her I don't know anything." 18 suggested with a shrug as she stood from her chair.

"No!" Bulma said as she grabbed 18's pant leg and pulled her back into her seat. "That will only look suspicious." 18 frowned doubtfully at Bulma. That seemed like a great idea to her, she didn't see anything suspicious about it. Before she had the chance, she noticed Chi-Chi hurrying away from Goku and Krillin. 18 decided to walk over to Goku and Krillin.

"Where'd Chi-Chi just go?" 18 asked as she glanced down the hallway where Chi-Chi ran off, not seeing any trace of her.

"She had to run to the bathroom all of a sudden." Krillin said with a shrug. 18 sat next to Krillin, watching Goku as he seemed deep in thought.

"Goku, you alright?" 18 asked, leaning past Krillin to make eye contact with him. Goku snapped to attention, smiling brightly at 18 as if he'd never been deep in thought. Maybe she just imagined it.

"Yeah!" Goku said as he stood from the couch, patting Krillin on the shoulder and casually heading down the hallway, making 18 suspicious again. Maybe Bulma and Chi-Chi's big secret had something to do with Goku. 18 just hoped Chi-Chi wasn't holding a grudge against them, as she still had not emerged from the bathroom. Goku came back from down the hall a few minutes later.

"Okay, guys. Sorry this thing didn't work out quite like we planned, but I guess it's time to clean up and move on now." He said disappointedly as he gazed at the clock. "I've got a client soon, and Chi-Chi has class." Goku started cleaning up, as Bulma joined him, offering her help while she smiled giddily at an unaware Goku. 18 nodded to herself with a thoughtful frown. Goku definitely had something to do with it, whether he knew it or not.

* * *

"This is really good, Chi-Chi." Goku said wholeheartedly, as always, while chewing his delicious food. If only he could swallow first, rather than talking with his mouth full. Chi-Chi stifled the urge to reprimand him, realizing she'd been doing too much of that lately. She didn't want to push him away, so she'd have to work on controlling this irritation she was feeling; either that or just tell him what she was really worried about. She could control it, that would be easier than talking.

"Thank you, Goku." She forced herself to say kindly with a smile as she picked up her fork and resumed eating.

"I, uh, I noticed you were up again last night." Goku said uneasily, and Chi-Chi immediately stiffened. Did he hear her? He definitely sounded like he was broaching on something delicate with his tone.

"Yeah, I told you, just insomnia. I'm surprised you haven't learned to sleep through it by now." Chi-Chi said with a laugh, trying to make light of the subject.

"I was thinking." Goku said as he dropped his fork and wiped his mouth with his napkin, looking up from his full plate of food to give Chi-Chi his full attention. Oh no. Now she knew he was serious. "Maybe you might try meditating, or you might want to take some sleeping pills. I was talking to Piccolo a few days ago and-"

"Piccolo? You were talking to Piccolo about me?" Chi-Chi interrupted, embarrassed as she wondered just how many people Goku might be complaining about her to.

"Well, yeah." Goku said, his face showing obvious confusion as to why that was a problem. "Piccolo has insomnia sometimes, too, Chi-Chi."

"I don't care!" Chi-Chi said angrily, feeling a bit betrayed now as she thought what had been going on at nighttime was a private matter. Though, how could Goku know that? What's private about insomnia? She thought for a moment as she contrived another explanation for her outburst. "Piccolo hates me!" Chi-Chi said, huffing indignantly as she realized that would definitely work.

"He doesn't hate you, Chi-Chi." Goku said with a reassuring smile as he reached across the counter for Chi-Chi's hand. That smile, and his touch, just melted her. She eased her expression from anger to more of a pout.

"He thinks I'm a bitch." She said sadly, looking like a sweet little girl. Goku laughed. Now he thinks it's funny that someone thinks she's a bitch? Chi-Chi growled and collected the plates, deciding dinner was over now, whether he was finished or not. She threw them in the sink as she said, "I don't need sleeping pills, Goku. And I already meditate sometimes; it won't help this."

She turned after rinsing the dishes to see Goku sigh frustratedly and frown as he turned his face from her. What was she doing? She didn't mean to be so snappy with everyone lately, especially not him. She walked over to him, hesitantly standing behind the barstool he sat in and massaging his shoulders, relieved that he didn't flinch from her touch, as she wouldn't blame him for doing.

"I'm sorry, Goku. I really appreciate you trying to help. You really must feel bad for me if you're talking to people to find ways to help me. But you don't need to fix this for me, okay?" Chi-Chi said with a pleading smile as she turned and leaned down to see Goku's face as she spoke to him.

Goku looked at Chi-Chi, and she could tell he was hurting. He had been so patient for the past few weeks with her insomnia and outbursts, but she could tell his tolerance was nearing its limit. She'd have to face the truth soon. And if what she suspected was true, they were going to have a very serious talk. For now, she could only think of one thing that would make all of this go away for both of them right now.

"Chi-Chi, I-" Goku said dejectedly before he was cut off by Chi-Chi's lips on his. He was surprised, she could tell, but she knew he wanted more. She kissed him deeply, licking his lip and letting his tongue slide into her mouth as she let her hands slide from his shoulders where they'd been resting, traveling up the curve of his muscular neck as she cupped his face in her hands lovingly. She pulled from the kiss and smiled at him. Then she had the perfect idea. "Let's go to bed." She said with a wicked smile as Goku looked at her interestedly. "I want to show you something I learned in yoga today." Goku smiled broadly and Chi-Chi took him by the hand, leading him to the bedroom excitedly. She would definitely make it up to him.


	17. Body Talk

Body Talk

Bulma pulled the sheet up from her waist, appreciating the protection from the cold air outside the sheets as her skin was gradually covered. Then a hand clapped down on hers, forcefully pinning the sheets back down below her waist again. Vegeta leaned over her, nestling his face between her naked breasts with a contented sigh.

"Vegeta." Bulma said, waiting for him to look at her, and waiting, until she decided to carry on talking regardless of what he was looking at. "What are you doing? I thought you were getting dressed." She said with a smile. She was feeling fantastic at the moment, parts of her body throbbing and aching pleasantly from Vegeta's expert treatment, and whatever he was up to at the moment seemed to be promising more. His face finally rose from her chest as he placed his lips on hers, delving into a deep and passionate kiss as his body crawled over hers. Yes, he was definitely ready to go again.

"I don't want to get dressed." Vegeta said with a menacing tone, turning Bulma on as she bit her lip in anticipation. He was in a great mood tonight. This was a good time to hit him with that conversation. He'd have to put his thoughts on hold for just a few minutes.

Bulma looked Vegeta in the eyes with a smirk, then gently pushed him away as she scooted back in bed and sat upright. He raised an eyebrow curiously, poor guy probably thinks she's up to something kinky. "You know, Vegeta. You should give Goku a call, or maybe visit him sometime." Bulma said calculatedly as she smoothly wrapped an arm around his and leaned over his upright form sitting on the bed so they were face to face.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Vegeta said disbelievingly. "Why would you mention _him _right now? You want this to be over?" Vegeta said, gesturing towards his rock-hard erection. Bulma tilted her head and began kissing Vegeta's neck, licking his ear before she continued in a sultry voice.

"I don't think I need to worry about that, do you?" She said as she felt Vegeta shiver. She could definitely keep him turned on during this conversation. "As far as Goku goes, you two have been friends all through college. Don't let this whole thing with his brother ruin your friendship." Bulma said, leaning away from Vegeta's ear as she caressed his chest, fingering every crease in his muscles. She looked in his eyes carefully, hoping this would work. Vegeta frowned, and looked away. Bulma quickly reached for his face, turning him to face her.

"I don't want anything to do with Kakarot, got it?!" Vegeta yelled as he jerked his face from her grasp and started to climb out of bed. Bulma immediately reached for him, almost jumping up as she grabbed both of his arms, pulling him down on top of her with all her weight. Vegeta looked at Bulma like she was crazy.

Maybe this was a little unorthodox, but Vegeta was stubborn, and Bulma knew she'd have to pull his strings to get him to bend on this one. After what Chi-Chi told her, she knew Goku would need his friends soon. She needed to get Vegeta to forgive and move on, for both him and Goku. She knew Vegeta missed Goku, whether he said it or not. Maybe if this worked, Chi-Chi would start talking to her again soon, too. Chi-Chi still seemed to think that 18 knew her secret because of Bulma, as Bulma presumed from the lack of returned calls and Chi-Chi not showing up for their usual lunch yesterday.

Bulma was surprised by Vegeta when he pinned her down on the bed and kissed her again, blending his tongue with hers as he began running his hands up and down her body. She forced herself to reel in the passion and urges she was feeling from his touches as she spoke again. "Vegeta, will you talk to him, for me?"

Vegeta growled in irritation, but continued kissing her. He pulled away and studied her face after a few minutes, frowning at what he saw, which she could only imagine was the determination she felt right now to set this right between her boyfriend and good friend. He snarled, snapping his face away from hers. "You're not going to let this go, are you?" Bulma smiled. Patience always wins.

"So you'll talk to Goku?" Bulma said as she bent forward and started kissing Vegeta's chest which hovered over her.

"Only if you don't ever say his name in our bed again." Vegeta muttered with a deep frown. Bulma wrapped her arms around Vegeta's neck and pulled him down for a long kiss, smiling through it. Vegeta settled between her thighs, and she rubbed her pelvis against his, pleased to see that Vegeta did stay erect during that whole conversation. She exhaled harshly as Vegeta found her entrance and thrust into her again, starting another round of lovemaking. That went well. She might start persuasive conversations between bouts of sex more often.

* * *

Goku was having a fantastic day. He just finished his corrections and penology class, bringing home an A on his exam. He had started the day with a great workout, Chi-Chi seemed to sleep through the night last night, and Vegeta finally talked to him. Vegeta was still angry after discovering Goku's true motives for the setup with Raditz. And in hindsight, it was a bad move. Goku had apologized right away, but Vegeta completely shut him out.

They had registered for the same corrections and penology class at the beginning of the semester. After the test today, where they sat on opposite sides of the room for an hour scribbling their answers, Vegeta actually approached Goku and asked how he did. That was Vegeta's way of letting Goku know they were on good terms again. It was short and abrupt, but the unspoken message was clear to both of them. Goku asked how Vegeta did as well, and they congratulated each other on their grades. That, and some time, was all it took to mend a damaged friendship between the two of them.

Now Goku was looking forward to going home to study for a while before Chi-Chi would get home from her classes and start dinner. His mouth watered just imagining what she'd be cooking tonight. He parked his car and made his way into the apartment. He threw his keys on the tiny console table by the door before heading into the living room as he threw his bag down roughly and settled on the creaky microsuede couch that came with their furnished apartment. He finally reached for the remote and turned on the TV with a content sigh, putting his feet up to relax.

He had been watching TV for a while when he thought he heard something from inside the apartment. He muted the TV and listened, but did not hear anymore noises. He frowned, doubting that he had actually heard anything, but decided to take a look around the apartment, just to be sure. Maybe Roshi was trying to raid Chi-Chi's panty drawer again before Goku came home. He could be stuck hiding in a closet somewhere, waiting for his chance to sneak out.

He went to the bedroom first, where he was immediately surprised to see the bed unmade; Chi-Chi always made it first thing in the morning. He also was puzzled by the presence of a pile of used tissues crumpled up on the nightstand. That definitely wasn't there this morning, and Chi-Chi would never leave something like that lying around. He checked the kitchen, and everything seemed normal, aside from a half-full glass of water on the counter. Then he heard it again. It sounded like it came from down the hall, near the bathroom or the second bedroom. He noticed the bathroom door was closed, and when he tried opening it, it was locked. He heard a startled gasp from inside the bathroom, and stepped back in surprise.

"Chi-Chi?" He called through the door. There was no answer, but he heard shuffling, then a muffled, choked sob. Oh, no. Why was she crying?

"Chi-Chi," Goku said again as serenely as possible, "what are you doing home? Don't you have class right now?" He asked carefully, hoping not to provoke anything, as he currently had no idea what was going on here. She didn't answer, but the sobs became steady and louder. Goku tried again to open the door, now getting frustrated that he couldn't do anything to help her.

"Chi-Chi, unlock the door." He said fervidly, though he didn't mean to sound abrasive, so he amended his request by adding a polite "Please." He waited, wondering if he'd have to ask again, when he noticed the quiet clicking of the door unlocking very slowly and grudgingly. He immediately seized the knob and opened it quickly, certain that if he didn't act fast enough, the door would be locked again and he would lose his chance to get in there. He opened the door carefully, expecting Chi-Chi to still be right behind it.

He found her already backed against the opposite wall, collapsed on the ground between the bath and the toilet. She looked so scared, and he felt for the first time that she really needed him. He joined her on the ground, immediately giving her a supportive hug, as she released a long wail that seemed to be waiting for a release. Goku was definitely scared. This couldn't be good.

"Chi-Chi, what happened?" Goku asked, which he immediately regretted, as Chi-Chi only sobbed harder, her shoulders shaking vigorously with her violent sobs. Goku rubbed her back, frowning as he looked around the room, trying to piece together what was happening since he couldn't get answers from Chi-Chi. He noticed something hanging off the counter, which from his position on the ground, looked like a thermometer.

"Are you sick?" He asked, doubtfully, as a sickness wasn't enough to explain locking yourself in the bathroom and crying. Chi-Chi's sobs died down as Goku continued rubbing her back, and she hugged him back, sounding almost like she chuckled at his last question. She pulled away from him to look in his eyes, and her eyes filled with tears again.

She looked like she wanted to say something, so Goku waited patiently. She opened her mouth, but quiet sobs rose from her chest again, and she shook her head in frustration. She tried again, to no avail, letting her head hang down in renunciation. She raised her hand, extending her index finger towards the item on the counter, continuing to sniffle down into her chest as she waved her hand in a tapping motion. Goku took the gesture as a request for him to bring that to her. He stood up and grabbed it, freezing as soon as he saw the word printed on the little white plastic stick: _Pregnant._

* * *

Chi-Chi rolled her yoga mat, and stood with a sigh to head out the door. She stopped in her tracks when she saw who was waiting for her. It was bad enough the two of them wouldn't take the hint and stop calling. Now 18 was ambushing her outside of yoga class. Chi-Chi rolled her eyes and walked briskly through the door, not even looking at 18 as she passed, though she knew 18 was swiftly following behind her.

"Hey! Wait up, bitch! We need to talk." Chi-Chi heard called commandingly from behind her. She stopped as she raised her lip in a snarl, not about to let 18 talk to her that way. Without turning around, she proceeded to speak to her pursuer.

"Just leave me alone, 18. I know you're here for Bulma and I have nothing to say to her right now." Chi-Chi proclaimed as she took a few steps forward, before 18 grabbed her by the shoulder, stopping her.

"Because you think she told me something she never did, Chi-Chi. I have no idea what the hell this is all about, but I'm here because Bulma said you'd need someone to talk to, and she figured you'd talk to me first. Of course, I don't know why you trusted Bulma with this secret in the first place rather than me, or why you have a problem with me knowing about it." 18 said as she crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows at Chi-Chi, who slowly turned to face 18.

"I...I..." Chi-Chi stuttered as she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. There really was no legitimate reason to be angry with 18. Why were they having this argument again?

"I wanted to hear the same juicy news that Bulma had, but she refused to tell me when we were at your apartment." 18 added as she tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear and placed her hands haughtily on her hips. That's right. The bitches were talking about her in her own home, like she wouldn't notice.

"If Bulma was the good, trustworthy friend that she claims to be, you wouldn't even know that there was juicy news, 18." Chi-Chi said peevishly as she tucked her yoga mat under her arm and proceeded to walk to the locker room.

"Will you stop being a bitch already and talk to me? Do I have to guess your little secret to get you to talk?" 18 asked as she ran in front of Chi-Chi and blocked her progress towards the locker room door. Chi-Chi fumed. How dare she belittle her. Her little secret? Without a second thought, Chi-Chi slapped 18 across the face, receiving stares and gasps from all the women surrounding them in front of the locker room. 18 placed her hand to her face and dropped her mouth in shock as she stared, bewildered at Chi-Chi. Her bewildered expression transformed into a hateful glare as 18 stared at her friend for a moment. 18 knocked Chi-Chi's yoga mat from beneath her arm, Chi-Chi watching it tumble to the ground and unroll, as 18 drew her hand back to strike Chi-Chi in retaliation. Chi-Chi threw her hands up defensively, yelling to 18.

"Wait! 18! I'm sorry!" Chi-Chi yelled, thinking of her unborn child as she knew starting a fight right now was most likely unsafe for a fetus. Because Chi-Chi knew, if they were going blow for blow, it was going to get a lot more physical than slapping before she'd back down. 18 held off, lowering her hand as she eyed Chi-Chi distrustfully.

"We'll talk, alright?" Chi-Chi suggested tersely as she retrieved her yoga mat from the ground and cast a wary glance at their gawking audience. "Let's just go somewhere else, okay?" She stood with her rolled mat under her arm again, and headed out the gym doors to the outside, followed by a silently fuming 18.

Once outside, 18 looked hesitant to speak as Chi-Chi set down her things on the ground. Chi-Chi waited for 18 to speak, as she was sure to confess that Bulma told her about the suspected pregnancy, but 18 only looked pissed off and impatient. Was she waiting for an apology? The only reason she'd be expecting Chi-Chi to apologize would be...she really didn't know, did she? As soon as Chi-Chi realized that, 18 recognized her change in expression and stepped forward with a nod.

"Just like I told you. I have no idea what the fuck this is all about." 18 said heatedly.

Chi-Chi huffed and sat on the ground, feeling really bad about all of this now. She might as well tell 18 everything, and she'd have to call Bulma later. "Sit down with me, 18. I'm sorry." Chi-Chi smiled hopefully at 18, who was still not sitting down, and not looking convinced by the apology. "I'm sorry for hitting you, and I'm sorry that I talked to Bulma and didn't confide in you. I want to do that now, if you'll sit down and listen." Chi-Chi said as she gently tugged on 18's flared pant leg, happy that it worked as 18 joined her on the ground. 18 raised her eyebrows expectantly at Chi-Chi, and Chi-Chi leaned in to make her quiet confession.

"I told Bulma that I thought I might be pregnant. I finally took the test a few days ago, and it turns out I am." Chi-Chi's eyes met 18's warily. There's the shocked expression, the one Chi-Chi would have to get used to seeing for a while as more people found out about this. She shook her head at 18's deflated face, and continued. "So, now I've confided in you, because I haven't talked to Bulma since I took the test. Aside from Goku, you're the first person I've told."

"How did Goku take it?" 18 asked in wonder. Chi-Chi looked down and sighed. That was a good question.

"He's in shock, I think." Chi-Chi said with a shrug, wishing she could say he was elated. But who was she kidding? She spent the day in bed crying then locked herself in the bathroom and cried some more when she found out for herself. She couldn't expect him to have a better reaction. If anything, maybe it was good that he was taking it hard; at least that meant he was in this with her and it was affecting him, too.

They were just about to graduate from college, and start their careers. He wanted to become an officer, maybe join the FBI or something more challenging. She studied to become a teacher, but now, maybe she'd put that off for a while to raise the baby. Either way, they couldn't expect a lot of income in the beginning, and a baby isn't cheap. Her dad could definitely help out, like he had been doing all through Chi-Chi's college years, the reason she never needed a job through college. Goku didn't know about her dad's money yet, maybe he'd take this baby news easier if he knew. And what about _them_? Would they get married? Just live together? She didn't want Goku feeling chained to her because of a baby, she wanted Goku with her just because he enjoyed being with her. Chi-Chi was derailed from her thoughts when 18 wrapped her in a tight hug. She hadn't realized she'd been staring off into space for a few minutes, her eyes tearing as 18 watched her.

"You know what you need?" 18 said with a smile after she broke the hug. "A night out with the girls. You, me, and Bulma are going clubbing this weekend." 18 said with a stubborn nod as she crossed her arms and smirked at Chi-Chi.

"18, I can't drink." Chi-Chi said, not at all seeing how going out to a club would make her feel any better.

"We won't drink. But we'll still have a hell of a time!" 18 huffed as she stood up, giving Chi-Chi a hand to do the same. "Just because you're pregnant doesn't mean you can't live. I don't see any baby bump yet, you're still a skinny little bitch. Let's dress up and dance, forget about life for a while. I haven't been to the club in so long. Come on, Chi-Chi." 18 was almost begging with her last statement, and looked so excited, that Chi-Chi smiled back.

"Alright. I'll call Bulma." Chi-Chi gave in to 18 as she reached in her gym bag, looking for her phone. Maybe 18 was right. Some time with the girls could be just what she needed.


	18. The Night Hasn't Even Started

The Night Hasn't Even Started

The professor droned on and on, using inflated vocabulary and grand gestures, acting the most refined professor on campus. Vegeta sighed loudly and impatiently, looking at the clock for what felt like the hundredth time. Fuck it. He was leaving now, whether there were fifteen minutes left of this pathetic lecture or not. He rose from his seat and started his way down the aisle of students, smirking gloatingly at their envious expressions as they feebly stayed planted in their chairs and watched him leave.

He reached the door, only to notice one other person distracting the professor from his repetitive lecture as he made a similar hike to the same door. Damn. Vegeta forgot Goku was in this class. And now he was following him; he probably wanted to talk. Vegeta hastily exited through the door and rounded the corner, hoping to avoid his ex-roommate. He waited patiently for the sound of his footsteps passing, frowning when he heard nothing, not even the door opening or closing. Vegeta looked around the corner cautiously, hoping if Goku was out there, he would be lucky enough to remain unseen. There was no sign of him, only the couple of loitering students who had been out there earlier. Confused, but satisfied that the coast was clear, Vegeta pulled up the slack on his slipping bag and started walking. After only a few steps, he heard the voice from behind him. He must have left through another door.

"Couldn't stand the lecture any longer, huh?" His tone was mocking, and if he wanted to talk, he was definitely pushing his luck by starting off with his typical irritating behavior. Vegeta refused to show any sign of Goku getting to him as he composed his expression and turned around coolly.

"You're one to talk. You were probably waiting for the past half hour for me to leave so you could get out of there without incurring the wrath of the great professor." Vegeta said, mocking on the title of the pedantic instructor.

Goku laughed. "You may be right. Actually, I'd say about ten minutes in, I was ready to run."

"You're a lousy student." Vegeta said as he shook his head, unable to control the smirk that formed on his face. Goku smiled back knowingly. How did he always do that? He'd play the idiot and get what he wanted in the end, no matter how much he pissed Vegeta off. Vegeta was realizing this was an eerie similarity between his best friend and his girlfriend; their uncanny ability to piss him off and turn it around so quickly, like they were using his own anger against him.

Goku looked upwards thoughtfully. "Listen, Vegeta. Chi-Chi called me today and told me the girls are going out together on Saturday night-"

"What? Where?" Vegeta asked urgently, though he didn't intend to let it come out that way. He didn't want Bulma drinking and partying without him, so he needed to know, but he'd calm down his earnestness. Goku didn't need to know how he felt.

"I'm not sure where exactly. She just said 'clubbing', but we don't need to worry, they won't be drinking because of the baby."

"What?" Vegeta asked in astonishment. "What baby?" Vegeta immediately noticed Goku's face falter as if he was surprised Vegeta didn't know. Vegeta narrowed his eyes at Goku. "This has something to do with the problem Bulma has with Chi-Chi. She hasn't stopped bitching about it for the past three days."

Goku's face suddenly became very serious. "Chi-Chi's pregnant." Vegeta started laughing. Goku was stuck with that woman now. She might be a nice piece of ass, but that personality would eventually drive a man to suicide, Vegeta thought as he calmed down his laughter, noticing Goku frowning at him as he found no humor in this.

"You're fucked." Vegeta said, shaking his head as he started walking and Goku followed. "You do know you have the fastest moving relationship I've ever heard of?" Vegeta asked, raising his eyebrows at Goku as he scratched his brow, almost feeling sorry for the guy. Goku nodded thoughtfully.

"Yeah. So, I thought maybe you and Krillin wanted to do something while they're out." Goku looked at Vegeta hopefully, and he actually did feel bad for the jerk.

"You need to get drunk." Vegeta said commandingly. "How about Kame House?" Goku smiled. Vegeta knew it was his favorite bar. The girls might not be drinking, but that was their problem. They just better keep themselves out of trouble, or Vegeta would have to give someone hell to pay.

* * *

"Excuse me! Ex-cuuuse me!" Bulma exclaimed as she pushed her way through the line of people waiting to get into the club, pulling Chi-Chi and 18 along with her. They were three sexy college women with no men in tow, and they sure as hell could get away with cutting the line tonight. After smirking at the sources of some cat calls and whistles, Bulma finally reached the bouncer, her friends following shortly after.

The bouncer, a huge bald man with bulging muscles and a black t-shirt, fitting the bouncer stereotype, looked the girls up and down, squinting at them almost suspiciously. "You ladies have anyone else coming in with you?"

"No! Just us three lovely ladies." Bulma proudly proclaimed with a saucy smile as she placed her hands on her hips, giving a slight flirtatious wiggle.

The bouncer smiled as he appreciated Bulma's figure, and gave an approving nod to Chi-Chi and 18 as he released the chain, providing an opening for the three women to enter as a few people stuck in line issued complaints. "Have fun, ladies!" He yelled over the complaining voices as he turned back to the line and the three women excitedly entered the club. They found a table immediately, claiming it before someone else could, as it was the only one they saw available.

"I'll go get us some drinks!" Chi-Chi said, heading to the bar in hopes of finding something they'd offer that was excitingly non-alcoholic. She made her way to the bar as Bulma and 18 watched her leave. 18 looked at Bulma with a frown, and Bulma looked back at her questioningly; this was certainly no time for frowning.

"Chi-Chi was such a bitch, Bulma." 18 complained.

"What? 18, aren't you being hypocritical? Talking about her as soon as she's gone? The night hasn't even started yet." Bulma objected.

"I know. But I just have to vent, and then I can enjoy the night. Bulma, she slapped me!" Bulma's face dropped in shock. "I was going out of my way to help the hormonal hussy, and that's how she repaid me." 18 wrung her hands together anxiously, then looked back at Bulma. "I mean, she did apologize, and I offered to do this tonight because I figured she'd need it. I mean, she's pregnant." 18 said with a shrug. "Who knows what kind of bitch I'll be when I'm knocked up. So I'm being flexible. But I'm just warning you, watch out for her." 18 stopped talking when they noticed Chi-Chi returning with three full drinks, carefully carrying them against her chest as she approached the table. Chi-Chi placed the drinks on the table, and slid two drinks to her friends as she claimed one for herself.

"Virgin Pina Coladas! Before you drink, I just want to say thank you to you two." Chi-Chi looked at Bulma, then 18 meaningfully. "I've been such a bitch! I know it; you don't have to tell me." Chi-Chi said as she tilted her head and waved her free hand in the air defensively. "But you two were there for me, and you're even taking me out tonight for a good time away from the guys. So here's to true friends!" Chi-Chi raised her glass, and the three friends toasted with a smile before sipping their drinks, Bulma casting a reproachful gaze at 18 after that genuine speech from Chi-Chi. 18 shrugged back as she continued sipping, apparently wanting to move past her earlier snub.

"So, what were the guys doing tonight?" Bulma asked as she nursed her drink, observing the crowd around them. Vegeta hadn't told her anything, just warned her as she left…just threatened her about generally anything he wouldn't want her doing without him.

"They were going to Kame House!" 18 said, nodding her head to the rhythmic bass of the club music as she was finally feeling the music.

"Kame House?" Chi-Chi said with a frown, obviously disappointed. Apparently Bulma wasn't the only one left out of the loop on the guys' plans.

"Yeah! You know what they're doing tonight!" 18 said with a devious smile, clearly unconcerned about Krillin getting drunk without her. Bulma wasn't so sure she liked the idea of the men out drinking without them. The girls were out, but they weren't drinking, what kind of trouble could they get into? And Vegeta was so threatened by her going out, too, the jerk.

"Alright! That's it! I'm dancing!" Chi-Chi said indignantly as she stood from her chair, tossing the remainder of her pina colada in the trash on her way to the dance floor.

"Yes!" 18 said ardently as she followed Chi-Chi with the same actions. "Come on, Bulma!" She called over her shoulder, Bulma just barely hearing her over the music.

Bulma frowned as her mind was still stuck wondering about the guys at the bar, but she decided to follow the girls, shaking off the bad vibes she was feeling about the evening.

* * *

Goku ran in excitedly, taking a seat on the metal padded barstool right in the center of the bar. He was all geared up for a night of fun with the guys, though he was feeling a lot better about his current situation, not so much in _need_ of this as he had been feeling. He and Chi-Chi went to the ob/gyn the day before for her first appointment, and the reality of this baby really set in then. She had to pee in a cup for them, and they told her she'd need to get her blood tested soon, which Goku was thankful that Chi-Chi told him he did not need to be there for. He couldn't stand needles, even if he wasn't the one getting it. The doctor stuck something that looked like a dildo inside her to show them a picture of the baby, which kind of freaked him out. But seeing that sonogram on the screen, though it just looked like a blip, to see something pointed out and told that it was their child, well it totally floored him. The doctor predicted a due date, sealing the reality of this baby. He saw Chi-Chi smiling at the image and welling up with tears, and he knew this was going to be great. Everything would be fine for the three of them.

When Vegeta first mentioned Kame House, Goku felt it was what he needed, as he was scared to death of the idea of being a dad. But now he was embracing his impending fatherhood, and he could be his usual relaxed self, having fun tonight. Krillin and Vegeta joined him on the adjacent barstools, looking excited to start the night as well.

"Hey, boys! Haven't seen you in here in a while!" The husky female voice called from behind the bar as she approached. The feisty blond bartender had a hell of a personality, but she was part of what made this bar so much fun.

"Hey, Launch! Can we start with some tequila shots tonight?" Goku asked happily as he slapped the bar and spun around on the barstool to face Launch.

"Sure thing." Launch said as she reached below the bar for a bottle of tequila and shot glasses.

"How's Chaotzu?" Goku asked, smiling amicably as Launch poured the shots and slid them to the three men.

"He's great." Launch said with a proud smile, shaking her head thoughtfully as she began wiping down the bartop. "Getting big." She stopped her actions and looked at Goku and Krillin. Goku sighed. She was going to ask again. "How's Tien?" She cocked an eyebrow at the two men, not even bothering to look at Vegeta. She knew better, Goku realized. Vegeta would only give her shit about moving on already. They had all heard enough of it, never seeing a woman so hung up on a guy before. But they did have a kid together; Goku could understand it a little more now that he had one on the way.

"Tien and Piccolo are great." Krillin said immediately, making a point to mention Tien's boyfriend which Goku hoped would lead Launch to dropping the Tien issue. That was the only thing that ever chased them away from this bar. Some nights she just wouldn't drop it.

"Snobbish college sluts." Launch muttered under her breath, looking towards the corner of the bar as she angrily resumed wiping the countertop. Goku turned and followed her gaze. There was a group of attractive women, looking like they were gossiping and eyeing Launch. Poor Launch, always being looked down on by educated college students, like she wasn't good enough to get any respect from them. Goku couldn't understand why some college students acted that way, Launch was a great person, a little bizarre at times, but a great person nonetheless. The college girls turned their gaze to Goku, Vegeta and Krillin, looking them over lustfully. Yep, they were college sluts.

"Here's to Goku. Congratulations on getting your girlfriend pregnant!" Krillin toasted with a chuckled as he lifted his shot glass. Goku laughed and Vegeta chuckled as they toasted each other and downed their shots. Launch was already pouring them another one with a surprised expression on her face as she overheard Krillin's toast. Before she had a chance to comment, Krillin spoke. "So guess what!" Krillin announced excitedly, drumming his hands on the bartop as he looked at his friends expectantly.

Goku heard Vegeta groan behind him. "Do you actually expect us to guess?" He said, obviously annoyed. Vegeta really had a problem with patience, Goku thought as he smirked at his friend's comment.

"I just got my acceptance letter for grad school, the one I wanted! I'm starting after graduation, and 18 and I will be moving in together! It's not in East City either, so her brother should be happy. She's going to find work for a competing company rather than her father." Krillin beamed, hissing and shuddering as he downed his second shot a little too quickly.

"That's great news, Krillin!" Goku said happily as he slapped his friend on the back. "What about you, Vegeta? Have you been accepted to any law schools yet?" Vegeta quickly downed his shot and tapped his finger roughly on the bartop while looking at Launch as he indicated his need for a refill.

"Of course I have. I just haven't decided on one yet." Vegeta said as he downed the shot Launch just poured, and moved his glass forward before she had the chance to put the bottle down, waiting for another one.

Goku had another shot as he gazed around the room, focusing on someone he recognized in the opposite corner of the college sluts. "Hey, guys. Is that Roshi?" He whispered conspiratorially to his friends as he nodded his head in that direction. It was clearly an old man who was plastered, lounged in his seat in the shadows. It definitely looked like Roshi.

"Shit, that old pervert." Vegeta said as he smirked at the old man, making eye contact with him. "Look at him. He's watching the women. I have to give him credit. This is the perfect place for a pervert. That, and being the landlord of a college town apartment." Vegeta laughed as he turned to find Launch again, waving her over for another one as she was busy at the other end of the bar with a couple other guys.

"Vegeta, you might want to slow down." Goku warned as he noticed Vegeta was getting ahead of them with his shots.

"Go baby someone else, Kakarot!" Vegeta spat as Launch filled his glass again.

"'S alright." Launch smirked with a nod as she handed Vegeta the shot glass. "I'll keep an eye on you guys. Just do me a favor. Make sure that old man keeps his hands to himself tonight? I don't want him chasing away my customers." She said as she eyed Roshi distrustfully.

"Sure, Launch." Krillin said as Goku nodded with him. "Hey, I, uh, have some more news." Krillin said with a nervous smile as Goku, Vegeta and Launch looked at him with interest.

"Don't tell me you knocked up your girlfriend, too." Vegeta said with a snide smile.

"No." Krillin said, giving Vegeta an annoyed look. "But, I think after graduation, I'm going to propose."

"Oooo!" Launch exclaimed as her eyes bulged at the magic word it seemed women loved to hear.

"What?" Goku said, feeling panicked now. He had just accepted the baby news, but Krillin proposing to 18 just opened up a whole new bag of problems.

"You've got to be kidding me." Vegeta grumbled, turning away from the conversation as he leaned on the bar, watching the women in the corner. Goku knew he was blocking out this conversation, which he could understand. He really wanted to pretend that Krillin hadn't just said that.


	19. What Could It Hurt?

What Can It Hurt?

Chi-Chi was breathing hard, and feeling exhaustion take over. She needed a break. "I have to go to the bathroom!" She yelled to 18 and Bulma, who were still vivaciously dancing. They didn't hear her, so she waved her hands to get their attention and yelled it again. They were too involved in their dancing to care, it seemed, as they continued dancing and gave her a confirming nod. Bulma mouthed something at her that she couldn't understand, but they knew where she was going, and it looked like she was going alone.

After using the toilet, Chi-Chi looked at herself in the mirror as she washed her hands, feeling nauseous and looking pale. She steadied herself with her hands gripping the counter as she reeled in the unpleasant sensation. No please, not tonight. She ran back into the stall, vomiting to her displeasure. Wasn't she supposed to be getting her mind off this pregnancy tonight? It seemed as the night was going on, everything was reminding her of how miserable she was feeling. She felt light headed while she was dancing, her energy was waning, and now she was getting sick again. And as much as she tried to ignore it, she had this suspicious feeling that 18 and Bulma were talking about her again. Maybe paranoia was another side-effect of pregnancy. Either way, she was not going to lose her friends over this, so she refused to react to her suspicions. Chi-Chi splashed some water on her face as she returned to the sink, reaching in her bag and fixing her makeup as some other women left the bathroom giving her strange looks. Like they've never heard anyone throw up before, she thought as she glared at the swinging bathroom door they had just left through. Pleased that her makeup looked good again, and she was actually getting some color back in her face as the nausea abated, Chi-Chi headed back out to rejoin her friends, hoping the night would get better.

Skirting through the maze of people crowding the pathways and dance floor at the vast two-story club, Chi-Chi had almost reached the area where she left Bulma and 18 dancing when she bumped into something hard, almost falling backwards before a hand caught her by the waist. She sighed in relief, as the man who had caught her carefully helped her regain her footing.

"Thanks." She said with an embarassed laugh. "I'm sorry I bumped into you."

"I'm not." He said with a flirtatious half-smile as he looked her up and down, his arm still wrapped around her waist.

Chi-Chi laughed nervously and pulled away. "I was just heading back to my friends-" she started when the man grabbed her by the wrist, not hard, but he definitely didn't want her going anywhere.

"Can't you dance with me first? I'm sure your friends can wait. It's the least you can do to repay me for catching you, right?" His voice was smooth as he teased, and there was a definite playful undertone to his voice. He even sounded slightly nervous as Chi-Chi noticed him blush. She couldn't just shoot him down. What harm was one dance?

"Alright. Just one dance, I really need to get back." She said as he led her to an area where there would be room to move, and they started dancing. Chi-Chi noticed he was tall and handsome, muscular, and seemed to be a player as other women were eyeing him and he allowed himself to gaze back at his other admirers despite the fact that he was dancing with Chi-Chi. Good. That would make it easy to tell him she already had an incredible boyfriend. The song ended, and as expected, he wanted to talk to her after they stopped dancing.

Before allowing him to speak, Chi-Chi held up her hand and informed him. "Look, I have a boyfriend who I am very happy with, okay? I just agreed to a dance, and that's it." She said with a smile, hoping this man was not going to get too pushy.

"Hey, that's fine." He said, though he did seem surprised and a bit disappointed. "You seem nice, though. I could use a break. Do you want to sit and talk for a while? I'll buy you a drink." Was he really still trying to pick her up? Maybe he hoped she'd cheat on her boyfriend if she was drunk enough. Chi-Chi sighed. Men. She looked towards where Bulma and 18 were, and couldn't find them. Great, now she lost her friends. He was looking at her expectantly as she surveyed the room in search of them unsuccessfully. She might as well stay put until they turned up, but she'd have to hit this guy with a bomb to get him to back off.

"Okay, I'll stay for a drink for a little bit. But wait!" She called as he started immediately heading towards the bar. He looked at her, stunned that she grabbed his sleeve and stopped him. "I need something non-alcoholic. You see, I'm pregnant." Just as expected, the man's face dropped. He looked perplexed for a moment, but nodded slowly as he proceeded to the bar upon Chi-Chi's release of his sleeve.

Chi-Chi sat and waited, looking around in hopes of figuring out where Bulma and 18 disappeared to. Her friend returned with what looked like a soda and a drink for himself which obviously had alcohol in it. "I just got you a soda. Hope you don't mind that. Can pregnant women drink soda?" He asked nervously.

"Thanks, soda's fine. You know, if you want to pick someone up tonight, you don't need to waste your time hanging around with me." Chi-Chi said as the man clearly seemed to be making quite an effort to deal with her unique situation. He sat and sipped his drink, looking around the room thoughtfully.

"No. I've _been_ picking up women. It's fun and everything, but I could use a break tonight. It's nice to find someone who you know isn't playing a game or looking to hook up for a change." He said with a good-natured smile as he relaxed in his chair. "So you're pregnant, huh? You and this boyfriend must really be something serious." He said as he looked her over suspiciously. Like she would lie about being pregnant.

"Yes, we are serious. This pregnancy was a surprise though. We just recently found out, and I'm not sure how Goku feels about it yet. He seemed happy at the appointment though." She said thoughtfully, wondering if she was getting too personal in this conversation. She noticed he was absorbed in her conversation, and looked back at him inquisitively.

"Wow. I don't know how I'd react if my girlfriend ever ended up pregnant. We broke up awhile ago, but I was in a serious relationship for a long time, too." He said thoughtfully, then smiled at Chi-Chi as he seemingly wanted to hear more. She shrugged and continued.

"I mean, we are serious. But now I don't know if he'll want to get married, usually you do that when you're having a baby, right?" The man nodded adamently. "I just hope he's not afraid of commitment. When I first met him, we just dove right into this thing. We moved really fast. And he had recently slept with a friend of mine before we met, and then I found out he kissed a friend of mine while we were together, I mean, we were secretly together, and it was a bit of a misunderstanding, but when he slept with my other friend, she had a boyfriend at the time…"

"Woah. Woah. Woah." He said with a laugh as he held up a hand. "You're rambling now. I think you've lost me. You're worried your boyfriend can't commit? Just stay around, be with him, and he shouldn't stray. It's when a girlfriend is never around that a guy gets into trouble." The guy frowned despondently, and Chi-Chi had the feeling that he knew the truth in that all too well.

* * *

Krillin noticed Vegeta had been awfully quiet, mostly drinking at the bar and sitting alone as he and Goku had a long conversation about how Krillin proposing to 18 would put Goku in a heap of trouble with Chi-Chi. He was urging Krillin to wait, as he didn't want to be pressured into getting married. Goku claimed not to have anything against marriage, but said it was too soon to know if he really wanted it. Goku followed Krillin's gaze as he tried to look over Vegeta's shoulder. Vegeta was sitting there hunched forward with his back turned to them. Krillin was really too short to see over Vegeta's shoulder, so he turned back to Goku with a shrug. He spun around again and tapped Vegeta on the shoulder.

"Hey, Vegeta." Krillin said nervously, hoping Vegeta would not blow up at him as he often did in this type of situation.

"What?" Vegeta said loudly as he jumped in his seat, apparently startled. Goku wrinkled his eyebrows and pursed his lips as he studied Vegeta. Krillin watched Goku and Vegeta, waiting to see what would happen, as he could feel something was starting here.

"Whatcha got there, Vegeta?" Goku asked with a smirk as he stood from the bar stool, a bit wobbly after the hour they had spent drinking, yet swiftly reaching for the item Vegeta had hidden in his hand. Vegeta stood up wobbly as well, as Goku started walking away, looking at the screen of Vegeta's phone.

Vegeta growled as he started pursuing Goku around the bar. "Kakarot! You are going to be very sorry if you don't put that down right now!" Krillin quaked in his seat. He didn't know how Goku could be so unphased by that. Sometimes Vegeta was just plain scary. Krillin had seen him attack many guys over miniscule offenses, and Goku really pushed Vegeta to his limit sometimes. Right now seemed like one of those moments, and Krillin decided to make his way to the end of the bar, giving the two a wide berth for their potentially violent confrontation that was beginning.

"You've been texting Bulma?" Goku asked with a snicker, still walking around the bar hastily as Vegeta's pursuit was picking up pace and Goku continued avoiding him.

Krillin rolled his eyes. Those two would probably be at it for a while. He waved Launch over, who quickly served him another drink as he started gazing out the window to his left. He didn't notice when someone sat down on the stool to his right, someone he was not expecting to see tonight.

"Hey, Krillin." She said in a sultry voice. He turned around slowly, hoping it was just someone with a similar voice who happened to overhear his name earlier. No such luck.

"Maron. When did you get here?" Krillin asked as he took a swig of his shot, wishing it would wash away the wave of excitement he felt at seeing her so close to him again. He had 18 now, who treated him a hell of a lot better. Well, maybe not a hell of a lot better. But still, he loved 18, and wished he didn't feel so weak with Maron sitting next to him, now rubbing his arm enticingly. She was obviously drunk, and when Maron got drunk, she got adventurous and aggressive.

"Mmmm. Maybe ten minutes ago." She said with her usual floaty demeanor. "I was at the club earlier, then figured I'd stop at Kame House before ending the night. Maybe I could pick someone up to take with me." _Maron_. Krillin shook his head and looked at her with a frown, as he jumped at the crashing sound of chairs falling to the ground. He looked past Maron to see that Vegeta was threatening to throw more furniture at Goku if he didn't hand the phone over. Fortunately, Goku looked okay, so Krillin continued leaving the two of them to settle the issue between themselves.

"Hey! You two cut it out or take it outside!" Launch yelled at the other end of the bar, looking like she was ready to jump over the countertop and attack them. Goku shrugged at Vegeta and handed over the phone, the two finally sitting back down at the bar.

"Alright. I'm going back to sit with Goku and Vegeta." Krillin told Maron as he rose from his seat, intending to say goodbye to her.

"Wait, Krillin. I want to talk to you about something before you go." Maron said quietly. She actually sounded serious. Krillin couldn't remember Maron ever sounding serious before, even when she used to speak about marriage. He settled back in his seat. Talking with Maron couldn't hurt, as long as she kept her distance.

* * *

"How could you lose her?" Bulma huffed as she continued looking around the club, mistaking every dark haired woman in purple that she spotted for Chi-Chi.

"Me? What the hell, Bulma? We both lost her." 18 answered, seemingly more frustrated with the situation than Bulma was feeling.

"What if someone drugged her or something?" Bulma said worriedly. "Oh my God! What if she was abducted?" She said as panic set in at the thought of allowing her pregnant friend to be kidnapped when they should have just gone with her to the damn bathroom.

"Really, Bulma. Stop being so melodramatic. We'll find her." Bulma kept looking, and as she scanned the booths, finally she spotted the real Chi-Chi. Yay! They could gather her and get out of here now. Bulma's feet were killing her. And she really wanted to respond to all those texts Vegeta had been sending before he blew a gasket. She just couldn't do it in front of 18, they were on girl's night time right now, and texting boyfriends was a big no-no. Bulma started heading towards the table where she spotted Chi-Chi, wondering what the hell Chi-Chi was up to talking with another guy while they were out. From the back of his head, all she could tell was that he had black hair and he had a muscular shape. Their body language didn't look too flirtatious, so she guessed it couldn't be too bad. What kind of pregnant woman would think of cheating on her boyfriend? Her main concern right now should be making him want to stay by her side.

"Chi-Chi!" Bulma called as she proceeded toward her friend. Chi-Chi continued talking; apparently she didn't hear or see Bulma yet. Bulma made her way closer, facing Chi-Chi as Chi-Chi finally recognized her and smiled at her while the man continued speaking.

"...been to Kame House. It's a nice place. I'm sure you don't have to worry about your boyfriend getting into trouble without you there." She heard him finish saying in an all too familiar voice as she turned to meet his eyes. His mouth dropped when he saw her and he immediately stood up. "Bulma?" He said in disbelief. Bulma couldn't speak for a minute. What the hell was he doing here? And why was he talking to Chi-Chi?

Finally she managed to eek out, "Yamcha?"

"Oh, shit. What are you doing here?" 18 protested as she approached behind Bulma and recognized him as well.

"You all know each other?" Chi-Chi asked in bewilderment.

"Yamcha here was Bulma's high school sweetheart." 18 began as she crossed her arms and glared at Yamcha. "He cheated on her, then she cheated on him, then they broke up. And now she's moved on with a new boyfriend." Yamcha cowered away from Bulma's protective friend, as Bulma noticed him looking disappointed with the mention of her current boyfriend. Bulma looked at 18 reprovingly. She didn't hate Yamcha, and he didn't deserve that treatment from her friends.

"Bulma, how, how have you been?" Yamcha asked as he made his way to her, obviously nervous as he enveloped her in a tight hug.

"Great, Yamcha. It's great to see you again." Bulma said as she hugged back for a moment, then smiled sweetly back at her old flame. He would always be her first love, and she couldn't help feeling happy to see him again. "What are you doing out here?" She asked, confused at what a coincidence it was meeting him here.

"Uh, do you want to dance? Then maybe we can talk a little bit." Yamcha asked pleadingly as he eyed the three women, immediately diverting his gaze from 18's harsh stare.

"Sure. Do you guys mind? I promise we won't take long, okay?" Bulma asked her two friends who were watching her warily. 18 was more aghast than wary, but Bulma ignored that. She knew what she was doing, she'd never betray Vegeta.

"Okay, Bulma." Chi-Chi said unsurely with a shrug as 18 huffed and looked away. The lack of a verbal objection was about the best Bulma could get out of 18 regarding Yamcha, so she accepted that as an okay.

They headed to the dance floor, dancing closely and not too energetically, which Bulma really appreciated as her feet were still aching. "Bulma," Yamcha started as she noticed him drawing her in and breathing in her scent, a little too familiar for their current circumstance. "call me crazy, but I was actually hoping I'd run into you around here somewhere." Bulma started and pulled back, immediately not liking where this was headed. She felt Yamcha flinch at her recoil, but he pulled her in tighter and continued speaking. "I've been going out every night, having meaningless hookups and one night stands. I'm lonely, Bulma, and I've realized how much I miss you." Bulma pulled away more forcefully this time, realizing that the sooner she let Yamcha down, the easier this would be.

"Yamcha, we really are over. There's no going back. I'm happier now." Bulma explained apologetically, hating the fact that she was breaking his heart. It felt like breaking up all over again.

Yamcha gave her a pained look, it was certainly worse than the first breakup. He was hurting this time. "If you hadn't cheated on me, we'd still be together, Bulma." Yamcha said accusingly as his pain transformed into anger before Bulma's eyes. He pushed her away, and hastily pushed his way through the crowds as Bulma chased after him, not wanting the conversation to end that way. She lost him in the crowd, staring into the sea of people through which he disappeared for a few minutes before returning to her friends disconsolate as they decided to go home. The girl's night had fizzled out and completely deflated by the end of the night; she couldn't wait to go home and see Vegeta.

* * *

Yamcha slammed the door, starting his engine madly. He was breathing heavy as he shut his eyes hard, trying to calm his anger so he could drive. He growled in frustration and leaned over to retrieve the anniversary photo that he had shut in his glove compartment a couple months ago, tearing it to pieces. Bulma was done with him. He had taken their perfect relationship for granted, and now she wouldn't give him a second chance. She forgave him for cheating and they moved on before, so why couldn't she do it now? It wasn't his indiscretions, it was _hers_ that sealed their fate.

Yamcha needed to have a talk with someone else, since Bulma wouldn't hear him out. He replayed his conversation with Bulma's pregnant friend in his mind, considering how it applied to Bulma; now that he realized she was talking about Bulma the whole time. She said her boyfriend had kissed her friend while they were together, and slept with another one... who had a boyfriend at the time.

Yamcha put the car in reverse and backed out of his parking spot, forcefully shifting the car into drive, though he did not intend to take out his anger on his car. He had someone else to save that for now. He pushed his foot on the pedal and headed to the Kame House. As he was telling Bulma's friend when she complained about their boyfriends out drinking without them, he had been to the bar before. He knew exactly where to go, and he was guaranteed to find both the man Bulma cheated _and_ her new boyfriend. He just wanted to have a talk; he had no intentions of getting violent. So to settle his mind it was worth the trip, what could it hurt?


	20. All Hell Broke Loose

All Hell Broke Loose

Vegeta had an unbelievable buzz. He was at that stage where you've had just the right amount of alcohol to feel incredibly high with no negative side effects. It was even making his companion seem more enjoyable than the usual irritating nuisance that he was.

"Go, Vegeta!" Goku encouraged as he handed him the quarter he had just landed in the cup. Vegeta downed his shot and accepted the quarter as Launch guzzled hers as well and poured them both some more.

"No way you're gonna make it this time!" The crazy bartender yelled as she slammed a fist enthusiastically on the bartop. She insisted on playing along with any drinking games happening in her bar, claiming her incredible tolerance that she had built up over the years kept her very aware and sharp no matter how much she'd imbibe. Vegeta narrowed his eyes at the two with a smirk. He expertly, again, bounced the quarter into the cup with the pleasant sound of clinking glass confirming his success.

Goku laughed as Launch balked at the impossibility of how those two never miss. The two cohorts tossed another shot of alcohol down their throats as Vegeta smiled. Yes, this had turned out to be a fun evening. The only thing that was ruining it was the lack of communication from that damn woman, which almost had Vegeta deciding it was time to go home, until he felt a vibration in his pocket. He reached for his phone, and sure enough, she had finally taken a break from the girls to answer him. Judging by the text she sent, she'd be begging for his attention when he got home. Sounded like her night was a disappointment, and she'd need him to fix it for her. He didn't mind. Vegeta smirked at Goku as he finished texting a response and placed his phone back in his pocket, just as another man sat at the bar next to him, calling over Launch for a drink.

"Kakarot, is your idiot friend coming home with us, or does he have other plans?" Vegeta asked as he nodded towards the other end of the bar, where Krillin had become engrossed deeply in conversation with Maron.

"He's _our_ friend, Vegeta. But I don't know what he's doing." Goku said curiously as he observed Krillin. Krillin was definitely drunk, but it was strange for him to be enjoying Maron's company. He hated her after she cheated on him. "Why? Are you ready to leave?" Goku asked, turning to Vegeta and sounding disappointed. Apparently he was enjoying himself as well.

"You seem disappointed, Kakarot." Vegeta said sullenly. "The women are heading home now. Does that entice you at all to get out of here?"

"Not really." Goku said as he kicked the bar and pouted his lips. Vegeta laughed. Apparently his friend was not expecting the same kind of treatment from his girlfriend tonight.

"I don't find it funny." Goku said as he laid his head forlornly on the bar with a sigh. "Chi-Chi will be sleeping as soon as she gets home. She's so tired all the time now."

Vegeta shook his head at Goku. "That's what you get for knocking her up." Vegeta felt a nudge as soon as he said that, and turned to the man on his other side.

"Hey, if you don't mind me asking, what's your girlfriend's name?" He asked Vegeta with a very inquisitive and serious expression. Vegeta studied him suspiciously before answering. That was a strange question, and if this had anything to do with Bulma going out tonight, she'd have a lot of explaining to do when he got to her apartment tonight.

"You think you know my girlfriend?" Vegeta asked testily to this man who did not deserve an answer to his question until Vegeta had some idea who he was or what his reasoning was for asking.

"Her name is Bulma." Goku answered tactlessly, his head still on the bar and eyes shut now. Vegeta exhaled harshly in frustration. Maybe his company wasn't as enjoyable as he thought after all. He looked to the man who now had his answer, thanks to his dumbass friend. The man looked surprised and…pissed off? What was his problem?

"I have something to tell both of you." He said as he looked at Goku and Vegeta with a very serious expression, Goku opening his eyes and sitting up at his change in tone. "Bulma was my girlfriend before you two came along." He said adamantly as he tightened his fists and clenched his jaw. Vegeta and Goku looked at each other for a moment, not at all expecting this encounter tonight. "You got in the way, and ruined a perfectly good six year relationship." Yamcha complained as the other two men looked back at him unamused.

"Really?" Vegeta asked mockingly, as Yamcha stared at him, offended. "If it was a perfectly good relationship, she wouldn't need to fuck other men, now would she?" Yamcha glared at Vegeta and stood from his seat, obviously offended at Vegeta speaking in such a way about Bulma, and about his relationship with her.

"I'm not involved with Bulma, just to let you know." Goku said as he stood from the barstool and skillfully placed himself between Vegeta and Yamcha. He knew Vegeta well enough to see that this guy's provoking was not going to end well for him, especially where it regarded Bulma.

"Oh no?" Yamcha said disbelievingly to Goku. "I know who _you_ are! Your pregnant girlfriend told me all about you. You fucked Bulma when she was still with me!" Yamcha yelled as he inched closer to Goku threateningly. Now this guy was pissing Vegeta off. He was having an excellent night until this guy came along.

"What the hell were you doing with Chi-Chi?" Goku asked, now getting angry himself at finding out this man was spending a lot of time with his girlfriend tonight. Yamcha smirked at Goku tauntingly, enjoying the fact that he was able to make this man who had come between him and Bulma feel some hurt, though it was nothing like what he was feeling.

"What's your name, fella?" Launch asked Yamcha as she leaned over the bar, cutting in and obviously trying to end the discussion before things escalated any further. Yamcha glanced at her, trying to keep his eyes on Goku and Vegeta as he was feeling endangered when he realized he was getting both of these men pissed off, and they looked like they could hold their own in a fight.

"Yamcha." He answered as he returned to glaring at Goku, then Vegeta.

"Well, Yamcha. Let me buy you a drink, and you'll forget about talking to these guys tonight." Launch offered as she reached under the bar for a bottle of something, stopping when Yamcha responded.

"Sorry. I can't do that." He said as he shook his head, keeping his eyes locked on the two men in front of him. "I can't let this go. I love Bulma!" He yelled as he glared at Vegeta, the one who he knew was really coming between him and Bulma. Yamcha saw Goku as the start of their breakup, but if she hadn't found this other guy, she might have been willing to try and fix things between them.

"You obviously _need_ to let it go." Vegeta said ominously, stepping forward and pushing Goku aside, needing to confront this man now who claimed to love _his_ Bulma. "She doesn't. Want. You." Yamcha growled and stepped forward, though he was already nose to nose with Vegeta. There was not an inch between them now as they sized each other up, preparing for a fight. Just when it looked like someone was about to throw the first punch, they were both surprised by the intrusion of the barrel of an uzi submachine gun being prodded in their faces.

"You boys take this outside right now!" Launch commanded as she wielded the insane weapon expertly. "I'm not bluffing with this thing, and I don't tolerate fighting in my bar!" She hollered, scaring every patron in the place as the girls in the corner screamed and Roshi was startled out of his drunken stupor in the corner, hollering about the mad woman running this bar as he ducked under the table.

"Launch!" Goku said as he stared at her disbelievingly. "I heard you had that thing here, but you'd actually point it at your friends?" Vegeta narrowed his eyes at the crazy bartender. This was the last time he was coming in here. He didn't even start this damn fight, and now this crazy bitch had a machine gun in his face. Vegeta proceeded to storm out the door wordlessly, when he was surprised by a sharp pain in the back of his head. He growled furiously and spun around to see Yamcha's arm swinging back around for another sucker punch. He lifted his arm just in time to block the second punch, and used his other arm to hit Yamcha in the kidney as he cried out in pain.

Then all hell broke loose.

Launch started firing when Goku jumped on Yamcha and Vegeta as they fought, bringing them to the ground in avoidance of the deadly bullets rocketing through the air. Launch seemed to disregard the safety of all her patrons and the condition of her bar as she flailed the gun side to side recklessly, emptying the weapon of all its ammunition. Glass was shattering and flying across the bar, wood was splintering and ricocheting off punctured furniture, and the screams were ear piercing. Fortunately, the bar was not too crowded at this hour of the night, and everyone else threw themselves to the ground immediately after the first shots were fired.

Ignorant of the chaos surrounding them, Vegeta and Yamcha continued wrestling with each other on the ground, determined to hurt one another in a state of blind fury. Goku struggled to pull them apart, which proved nearly impossible when pinned to the ground under gunfire. Launch finally ran out of bullets, and Goku rose to stand as he was disillusioned to see that she was already reloading her gun. Launch had just lost it. He ran to the bar and slid over it as he tackled her, intent on ending the gunfire. Vegeta and Yamcha continued fighting as Vegeta gained the upper hand and sat upon a barely conscious Yamcha, pounding on his face. Flashing blue and red lights shone into the shattered windows from the parking lot and sirens blared as a team of officers ran in, apprehending everyone potentially involved in the crazy massacre.

* * *

18 awoke to the annoying, recurring vibration of the cell phone on her nightstand. "What?" She answered grouchily as she put the phone to her ear with her eyes still closed.

"18, it's Bulma." The concern in Bulma's voice immediately alerted 18 as her eyes shot open in alarm.

"What? What happened?" 18 asked as she sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes to clear her vision.

"Has Krillin come home yet?" Bulma asked as her voice quaked.

"I-I don't know." 18 said, baffled by Bulma's question. "He would be at his apartment; he wasn't coming to my place tonight." 18 said as she looked at the clock, reading 4:09 am. He definitely should be home by now. Even if the guys were having a good time, they wouldn't stay out that late without their girlfriends.

18 heard Bulma sigh over the phone. "I just think something's not right here; Vegeta never showed, and he promised me through a text that he was going to show me a good time, 18."

18 knew from the time she had dated Vegeta, he would always show after promising a good time, there was definitely something amiss here. "Have you called Chi-Chi? It's possible that the guys were wiped and just went home."

"I can't reach Chi-Chi, I can't reach Vegeta, I can't reach Goku. I think Chi-Chi's phone is off, it's just going straight to voicemail." Bulma said, obviously frustrated.

"Damn." 18 sighed as she looked around her room, her eyes adjusting to the darkness. "I'll try her, and I'll call Krillin, and I'll get right back to you." 18 hung up the phone without waiting for a goodbye from Bulma and immediately called Krillin. It rang and rang and his voicemail picked up. "Dammit, Krillin." 18 muttered as she started climbing out of bed. "Where the hell are you and the guys?" She left the message and hung up, heading into her kitchen for a glass of water as she called Chi-Chi. As she poured, she heard the same result as Bulma, just Chi-Chi's recorded voice apologizing for being unable to answer and asking politely for a message. "Forget it, Chi-Chi." 18 grumbled to herself as she hung up the phone. "I'm sure Bulma's already left you plenty of messages." 18 drank her water and leaned against the kitchen counter thoughtfully. What now?

"Hey. What's going on?" She heard the groggy voice as 17 shuffled into the kitchen. Damn. She must've woken him and now she had her brother's criticism to deal with if she wasn't careful.

"It's early, I know." 18 said coolly as she forced herself to look relaxed and took another sip of her water. "I just figured I'd get up now and start the day with an early morning jog, before there's much traffic on the roads." She lied, hoping her brother would buy it. He eyed her suspiciously, and she raised her eyebrows at him as if she did not understand his suspicions. 17 smirked and crossed his arms as 18 placed her empty glass on the counter carefully.

"Is that why Bulma already left Chi-Chi plenty of messages?" He asked contemptuously. "For jogging." He narrowed his eyes at his sister. He was onto her.

"Yeah." 18 said as she smiled at 17. Usually she wasn't a good liar, but in her brother's case, sometimes she'd find a way to play him. "The bitch is supposed to be coming with us, and won't answer her damn phone. She's the one who knows the best paths for morning jogs."

17 pursed his lips as he studied his sister, evidently waiting for her to slip up. "Well, I'm just glad you're not jogging alone. It's not safe for a woman being out this early. It's still dark." 17 said as he opened the refrigerator and pulled out the orange juice carton, drinking straight from it.

"Eww, 17!" 18 exclaimed. "That's for everyone in the house, you jerkoff!" She exclaimed as she slapped him on the shoulder and walked back to her room. She knew she'd need to get dressed in some workout clothing now because 17 would be waiting to see the evidence that her story was true. But Bulma would be waiting anxiously for her response, so she sent her a quick text. Calling would not be a wise choice, as her brother might listen in. She let Bulma know that she had no luck and was heading over to Bulma's apartment soon. After getting ready, 18 headed out the door, giving a supercilious smile to her brother as she said goodbye and shut the door, heading into her car for the ride to Bulma's. That seemed to work, he acted enough like he believed her. Hopefully he'd be back to minding his own business now.

18 was surprised when she pulled into the parking lot of Bulma's apartment to see Bulma standing outside waiting for her, dressed and with her purse, looking anxious to go. Bulma ran to the passenger door as soon as 18 parked and yanked on the door handle, giving 18 an aggravated look as the door was locked. 18 quickly pressed the button to unlock the door as Bulma made a second attempt, sitting angrily in the passenger seat and slamming the door. Bulma sat fuming as she faced forward for a moment, not saying a word to 18.

"Bulma, what are you doing?" 18 finally asked, wondering if Bulma had something planned by getting in the car right now.

"We have to get Chi-Chi." Bulma said as she buckled her seatbelt. "And after she gets dressed…ooh I'm going to kill him." Bulma frowned deeply and looked at 18 expectantly, apparently she was in no mood for waiting, so 18 put the car in reverse and started the very short drive to Chi-Chi's apartment at the building next door. She parked the car in the second parking lot, waiting for an explanation before she would be willing to wake her pregnant friend who had barely any sleep after their late night.

"What happened now, Bulma?" 18 asked impatiently as she followed Bulma, who started heading to Chi-Chi's apartment without bothering to explain anything.

"Vegeta finally called just before you came over. The guys are in jail." Bulma said as she knocked on Chi-Chi's door, shaking her head with a heavy sigh.


	21. The Morning After

The Morning After

Vegeta was pacing in the cell, glaring at the ground with his arms crossed tightly as he impatiently waited for Bulma to arrive. He cast occasional glances at Yamcha, who had just joined them in the cell after getting medical treatment for the wounds he incurred during their fight. This was bullshit. He looked at Goku, who was calmly laid on his back at the bench with his arms behind his head, silently staring at the ceiling. Vegeta never imagined the night would end this way. He looked again at the stupid bastard who brought this all on them. How he wanted to pound his face again more and more the longer they were stuck in here. And if that woman was in here, he'd like to give her a piece of his mind as well. No one would be in jail right now if she didn't get the insane idea to start shooting up the place, causing panicked reactions from the surrounding businesses and witnesses who immediately dialed 911.

The cops didn't know what had happened, so they arrested anyone who was not obviously innocent. That included himself, Goku, Yamcha, Launch, Roshi and some other guy who was unlucky enough to walk in just before the chaos had started. He must've been hurt from dodging the gunfire, but the cops judged his injuries as signs of his involvement in the fighting and decided to book him anyways. Vegeta had no idea how they saw Roshi connected in this thing, and he didn't care to ask. He looked at the old geezer, snoozing on another bench at the opposite side of the cell. These cops had to be really stupid if they thought this guy was involved. He was barely able to stay conscious last night. Vegeta glared at Yamcha again, only to see him glaring back this time. That was it. If they were stuck in here together with nothing else to do, at least Vegeta could finish what he started. He took a step towards Yamcha when Goku spoke, causing him to stop.

"How long ago did you call her, Vegeta?" He sounded like a whining child, and Vegeta immediately decided that maybe Yamcha wasn't the only one he could take his aggression out on at the moment. Vegeta approached Goku, standing over him as Goku looked up at him cluelessly.

"She'll be here. What the hell are you whining about, anyways? If it wasn't for me, there'd be no one coming here to bail us out." Vegeta said spitefully as he continued looking down on his friend. Goku sat up and looked back at Vegeta, unperturbed by his threatening demeanor.

"I told you I couldn't call Chi-Chi. She's still pissed about the time she had to pick us up off the side of the road when you abandoned us there. Calling her to be bailed out of jail was out of the question. Besides, I tried calling Krillin." Goku defended with a shrug. Goku and Vegeta had no idea what happened to Krillin. He obviously didn't get locked up, so he seemed like a good first choice for getting them bailed out. But he didn't answer his phone, and never showed to bail them out, so apparently he didn't get the message.

"Useless." Vegeta complained as he thought about the friend who abandoned them. "Another one on my list." He decided as he realized he had a whole list of people he was angry with at the moment. Including the one who was coming to bail him out. She may be coming to his rescue at the moment, but she was the main cause of this whole thing. What the hell happened at the club last night that resulted in her ex-boyfriend ambushing them at Kame House? Yamcha came to Kame House from the club, so it was her damn fault that all of this happened. Goku looked at him perplexed. Oh, he said that out loud about the list, didn't he? Before he had to indulge in any further conversation with his cell mate, he was happily surprised by the officer guarding them approaching the cell with his keys jingling.

"You two." He said as he pointed at Goku and Vegeta. "You made bail." He opened the gate and waited for them to walk out as he warily eyed the other prisoners.

"Wait!" Yamcha called from inside the cell. "The girl who's bailing them out, can you let her know that Yamcha is here, too? She might want to bail me out as well." Vegeta spun around furiously, and Yamcha was lucky that the cell was already locked again and he was on the other side of those bars. Vegeta grabbed the bars and would have ripped them open if he could to get at the arrogant bastard who had the nerve to ask his girlfriend to bail him out for this offense.

"Come on, Vegeta." Goku said soothingly as he laid a hand on Vegeta's shoulder, gently pulling him away from the cell. Vegeta shook him off as he snarled at the frightened Yamcha and followed his friend back out to freedom, glad that he could at least be leaving the jerk injured and rotting in a cage.

With their own clothing and belongings returned to them, the two men headed out of the cell to the awaiting girlfriends in the jail, not at all happy about the livid faces appearing before them.

Chi-Chi was tired and nauseous, and pretty pissed. She had only a few hours of sleep before Bulma and 18 came pounding on her door, insisting that she get dressed immediately and come with them. They had a long ride to the jail, speaking angrily as they speculated the cause of this unexpected impisonment all the way there. And now here they were, seeing Goku and Vegeta emerging from the jail looking tired and moody. Not surprising. Now it was time for them to explain themselves. Before Chi-Chi had a chance to say anything, the officer escorting them quietly pulled Bulma aside and spoke to her and 18 marched right up to Goku and Vegeta with her own question.

"Where the hell is Krillin?" She yelled at the guys, flailing her hands out frustratedly. Vegeta completely ignored her, he seemed to be in no mood for explaining things. Chi-Chi had a feeling that would change when Bulma started asking the questions. Goku looked confused and very concerned at 18's question, though.

"You mean you don't know where Krillin is?" He asked with a distressful tone as he stepped up to meet 18. "I tried calling him to bail us out, but he didn't answer, and he never showed."

"We thought he was locked up here with you guys. You were together all night, weren't you?" 18 asked as she blew some hair out of her face and crossed her arms, scowling at Goku.

Chi-Chi noticed the officer start escorting Bulma to where Goku and Vegeta had just appeared from, and Vegeta angrily stepping in front of her as she raised her chin and avoided him, continuing to follow the officer. Vegeta looked really pissed, so whatever had just happened, couldn't be good.

"Look, once things got crazy last night, I really can't say I kept track of Krillin." Goku said, sounding like he was being careful not to mention something. 18 didn't seem to pick up on it, but Chi-Chi knew Goku, and he was hiding something. "But he wasn't arrested; he didn't get involved in the fighting or anything."

"What the hell was that all about?" Chi-Chi asked, finally stepping forward and ready to give her man a piece of her mind. "We let you guys go out for a night together and you end up in jail? Are you going to have a record now? What are they charging you with?" Chi-Chi asked frantically as she grasped Goku by the shirt, pulling him tight against her and staring intently at him.

"Don't worry, Chi-Chi. After they took all of our statements, they decided I might have saved some people by stopping Launch from shooting anymore, and they're not charging me with anything." Goku said with a light-hearted smile, until he looked back at Vegeta with worry.

"Yes, Kakarot is free and clear. As for myself and that fool that you women sent to the Kame House after us last night," Vegeta said as his voice rose in anger, "we are facing assault charges. Not a great way to start a legal career." Vegeta said, clearly fuming as he stared in the direction of the jail cells from where Bulma had not returned.

"Oh, I'm so relieved, Goku." Chi-Chi said, startling as she realized she should show some compassion for Vegeta's situation. "Sorry, Vegeta. But what happened? What do you mean that fool we sent to the Kame House?" Chi-Chi asked, now alarmed by that claim. They never sent anyone to the Kame House.

"Yamcha." She heard Bulma's voice approaching as she returned with her arms crossed and looking angry, though Vegeta looked relieved to see her for some reason.

"You left him in there?" Vegeta asked with a smirk.

"Not exactly." Bulma said as she glared at Vegeta. She shook her head at him and frowned. "I'm not ready to talk to you right now." She said as she headed outside, grabbing 18's keys from her on the way. Chi-Chi watched her leave and realized she was waiting in the car for them. This would definitely be an awkward ride home with the two of them in the car together.

"What were you doing talking to that guy, Chi-Chi?" Goku asked seriously as he eyed his girlfriend.

"I didn't know who he was." Chi-Chi said with a shrug. "And we were just talking. I told him I was pregnant and had a boyfriend, and the guy just wanted to talk. He seems to be hung up on Bulma, because he—" Chi-Chi stopped talking as she noticed Vegeta intently paying attention to the conversation. She didn't want to say anything she shouldn't that might cause trouble for Vegeta and Bulma's relationship. "Wait! He's in there?" Chi-Chi said as she pointed back towards the jail cells. "He went to the Kame House last night?" Chi-Chi asked in disbelief as Goku and Vegeta nodded their heads. "Oh shit. This is unbelievable." Chi-Chi said as she looked to 18, seeing that she was on the phone, most likely trying to call Krillin again.

18 hung up the phone frustratedly and placed it in her purse. "Alright, let's get out of here." She said huffily as she walked quickly to the door. "I need to find out where the fuck Krillin is." Goku, Vegeta and Chi-Chi followed, all more than ready to get out of this place.

The ride home started off very quiet and tense. 18 was driving and fuming to herself over thoughts of Krillin, while Vegeta sat in the front seat with her, refusing to say a word to the angry woman in the backseat who expected some explanations from him. He was equally angry at her. Bulma sat in the back with Goku and Chi-Chi, which she regretted a few minutes into the ride. It would be much easier to stay angry with Vegeta in the front seat with silence. Those two started talking, and getting lovey-dovey and handsy next to her, and it was not a short ride home. They were the only two speaking in the car, and most of it was whispering, but still, everyone heard everything they were saying. Finally, 18 put the music on to tune them out. It didn't help Bulma much, though, as she was still right next to them. When they started making out, she finally had to complain.

"Hey! You two are not the only ones in the backseat right now, you know!" She yelled at them, and immediately noticed Vegeta react to the sound of her voice. For a few minutes, he didn't say anything, and she was so tuned in to Vegeta that she didn't notice her reprimanding going unnoticed as Goku and Chi-Chi continued making out next to her. She glared at the back of Vegeta's hair, just waiting for him to say something. She knew it was coming soon.

"What did you tell him?" Vegeta finally asked quietly, his voice controlled and unwavering. She knew exactly what he really meant. Did she know what really happened? And did she actually forgive Yamcha for his part in it? But she was going to let him reel in this for a little while. Yamcha admitted to her when she spoke to him in the jail cell that he made a mistake going to Kame House to confront Goku and Vegeta. But she did not forgive him. If anything, that was the final action that confirmed her feelings about no longer wanting to be involved with Yamcha. She agreed to call his family and have them post bail for him, but she refused to do so herself. Now her boyfriend was facing assault charges, and even though he was a hothead, she knew he wouldn't have fought like that without that provocation.

"I told him I would get him bail." Bulma said, cryptically leaving out the 'but' in that statement, as she waited to guage Vegeta's reaction. Not surprisingly, she heard him scoff at that.

"You could save yourself a lot of trouble if you'd make it clearer to your exes that you're taken." Vegeta said acidly, still refusing to turn around and make eye contact with Bulma. That was it. He just went too far.

"First of all," Bulma said as she pulled on the back of Vegeta's seat and leaned forward to see his face as she addressed him, "I only have the one ex, unlike you. Second, I did make it clear that I was taken. Although now, I'm wondering why I did." Bulma sat back in her seat angrily, fuming to herself silently for the rest of the ride, while Vegeta never bothered to respond. She could understand he was angry, he had just been through a lot last night, and it _was_ because of her. But she didn't know what was happening, and she sure as hell didn't ask for it. She decided to refocus her attention on 18. Her friend had kept her mouth shut the whole time as she listened to one couple arguing and another couple making out while she didn't have the slightest idea what had happened to her own boyfriend who she was worrying about.

"18, let's go back to their apartment building first, so we can check Krillin's apartment. I'm sure he's home by now, and just too hungover to be answering or hearing his phone." Bulma suggested as she saw 18 startle at being addressed, then nod hesitantly. She was definitely worried, and Bulma didn't blame her. She may be pissed and unhappy about Vegeta's activities of the previous night, but at least she knew what they were.

Arriving at the apartment building, the group filed out of the car exhaustedly. Everyone had had it after the crazy night last night, each for different reasons. Goku and Chi-Chi decided they'd go to their apartment rather than passing by it to check on Krillin with everyone. They just asked 18 to let them know when he was found and if he was alright, but they needed to get some rest, at least that's what they said. 18 suspected they really just wanted to be alone together after the long makeout session in the car. Those lucky bastards were the only couple on good terms after the night.

18, Vegeta and Bulma headed upstairs to Vegeta and Krillin's floor. Once arriving at his door, Vegeta unlocked it, hesitating as he gazed at Bulma for a moment while she and 18 knocked on Krillin's door. Bulma watched Vegeta, until he finally went inside. She was disappointed that he didn't come to her and say something more, but if he had, she realized she would have pushed him away with the way she felt right now. Why did she have to need him so intensely and hate him so passionately at the same time? It was so confusing. 18 knocked again as Krillin did not answer the door. Bulma realized after all the time at the jail and the long drive to and from the place, it was approaching noon already. Even if he was hungover, Krillin should be answering the door. She saw the frustration on 18's face and angrily pounded on Krillin's door herself. She wasn't sure if it was more for 18's sake, or a way to vent her own frustration. Either way, it felt good when it yielded results and Krillin finally answered the door.


	22. Makeup Sex

Makeup Sex

Goku quickly closed the door as soon as he made it into the apartment with Chi-Chi, spinning around to find her attacking his lips with hers. The car ride home had been such a turn on. They talked about how much they missed each other when they were out last night, and Goku was feeling so connected to Chi-Chi when she talked about having no interest in anyone at the club, even when Yamcha hit on her. Just kissing her and rubbing her thighs sensually in the car wasn't enough. Now they were finally alone, and Chi-Chi was obviously dying to be together, too. God, it was good to be home.

Chi-Chi kissed Goku again as she caressed his chest, feeling his rock hard muscles through his shirt, sliding her hands down to his narrow waist, and then his tight ass as she gave it a squeeze. She loved him, and now knowing that he was a hero last night, knowing he put himself in danger to make sure everyone else was safe, it really made her want to be as close to him as possible. He caressed her cheek as he kissed her deeper, lowering his hand to her breast and giving it a gentle squeeze. He knew he needed to be gentle right now because she was more sensitive, but he also noticed her breasts filling out already, and they felt better than ever. Chi-Chi moaned when he squeezed her, and Goku bit her bottom lip as his excitement intensified.

Chi-Chi lifted Goku's shirt, breaking the kiss as he finished removing it and she quickly went to work removing his pants. Goku ran his hand up Chi-Chi's thigh like he had been doing in the car, but now he was able to run it all the way up and fondle her smooth satin panty-covered rear, which felt so good that he joined in with his other hand and squeezed as he pushed his body against hers, grinding into her. He tugged the panties down as Chi-Chi started tugging on his pants, separating for a moment to remove the rest of their clothing as they embraced again, completely naked. Goku had to have Chi-Chi right there. He ran his hand under her thigh, raising it as he found her entrance and thrust into her quickly. Chi-Chi let out a surprised gasp as the sudden intrusion. Goku kissed Chi-Chi again, moaning into her mouth as he settled deep inside her and she wrapped both legs around his waist. He carried her to the couch and laid her on her back, never losing contact as he continued thrusting into her in his new position on the couch. They kissed deeply and passionately as he slid his length in and out, their passion and sensations building, until finally they erupted together in the release they had been craving. They lay together for a few minutes with no sound but that of their relieved, calm breathing, Goku giving one final gyration and groan as he pulled out and rose from the couch to clean up.

Chi-Chi exhaled deeply, now feeling completely spent and ready for a nap, both from a lack of sleep and the pleasure she had just experienced which seemed to completely drain her body of all her remaining energy. She reluctantly forced herself to rise from the couch and walk to the bathroom, shortly after retiring herself to the bedroom and tucking herself in for a nap. Goku put some clothes on and finished cleaning the living room, debating whether he should join her. She made the bed look very comfortable, and he didn't get much sleep last night either. He noticed some things around the apartment that needed to be tidied, and figured he would do that first, so Chi-Chi could wake to a clean apartment. It was the least he could do after she woke up early and took that long ride to the jail. Just when he was finishing and heading into the bedroom, there was a knock on the door. He startled, looking at the door curiously. Who could that be? He went to answer it, surprised to see an embarrassed and ashamed-looking Krillin at the door.

"Hey, Goku." Krillin said with a heavy sigh. "Can I talk to you alone for a minute?" He said as he looked into the apartment past Goku, checking for any signs of Chi-Chi or other visitors.

"Uh, yeah. Come in." Goku said, a bit puzzled about Krillin's wary demeanor, and even more curious about where his friend had been for the rest of the night and morning up until now. "Did you just come here from your apartment? They found you?"

"Yeah." Krillin said as he shook his head to the side with a jerk, raising his eyebrows at the apparently unpleasant thought of being found. "Where's Chi-Chi?" He asked as he was still looking for her. Goku sat on the couch, and Krillin joined him on the other end.

"Chi-Chi's taking a nap." Goku said with a yawn. "I was just about to join her actually." He said rubbing his tired eyes.

"I-I'm sorry to bother you, Goku. Are you sure Chi-Chi's napping?" He said, looking over his shoulder towards the bedroom door.

"Yeah. What is it, Krillin? Where did you go last night?" Goku said impatiently.

Krillin sighed heavily again, hanging his interlaced hands between his legs as he looked at the floor before speaking. "I'm not sure what happened last night, Goku. The last thing I remember was talking to Maron at the bar. Goku, she apologized. She was saying all the things she should have said after she cheated on me. Then she asked if I could share a cab with her, and I saw you and Vegeta were busy talking to some guy, so I decided not to bother you." Krillin rubbed his head in frustration. "Goku, I don't remember anything after getting into that cab. I blacked out, and I woke up this morning with Maron in my bed!" Krillin sprung up irritated and started pacing around the coffee table.

"Krillin." Goku said with a surprised gasp. "You mean? You mean you…"

"I don't know!" Krillin yelled in frustration, grabbing at his skull as Goku shushed him. Goku looked towards the door, hoping Chi-Chi would not wake up right now. Krillin followed his thinking and immediately threw his hands over his mouth, staring fearsomely at the door for a few minutes before continuing. "She was dressed, and I was in my boxers when I woke up. She acted like nothing happened. She left soon after we woke up. I asked her right before we left if anything happened, and she said she didn't remember. She sure as hell wasn't worried about it, though." Krillin grumbled as he crossed his arms and reclaimed his seat on the couch with his brows knit together thoughtfully.

"So…what are you going to do?" Goku asked, wishing he could offer some advice for Krillin. Krillin shrugged and looked back at Goku hopelessly.

"You don't have any advice for me?" Krillin asked as he raised his eyebrows and made eye contact, showing Goku just how distraught he was about this.

"If I were you, I'd have to tell Chi-Chi. But tell it just like you told me. Don't admit to something you might not have done, but don't deny it either." Goku suggested as he rubbed the back of his head and stood from the couch. Krillin followed as Goku led him towards the door. He was intruding enough; at least he was able to confide in his friend now.

"Thanks, Goku." Krillin said quietly as he left. Goku returned to the couch, sitting down in surprise as he absorbed the new information from the evening, while Chi-Chi stood on the other side of the bedroom door, shocked at what she just overheard.

Vegeta sat on his couch, irritably tapping his foot as he 'watched TV'. He wondered what was keeping that woman. She should have been here by now, begging for forgiveness. He knew that this was eating away at her all day, too. They had work and classes tomorrow, and there was no way she was going to wait this out all day and risk a second day of _this_. She couldn't possibly be waiting for him to go to her. She might be proud, but she would be a fool to think he was going to cave first. She was in the wrong here. Her ex starts shit with him, he ends up in jail, and she has the gall to help the ex with bail?

Vegeta crossed his arms tightly and glared at the television, for lack of anything better to set his glare on at the moment. If only she was here right now. Fine! Vegeta rose from the couch, unable to wait any longer as he made the way to his apartment door, set on marching over there and making sure she'd be very sorry that she didn't come to him first. He opened the door, shocked to see Bulma surprised on the other side. She did come. He smirked at her, smug and proud as he realized he had won this time.

"Finally came to apologize?" He asked as he stepped aside to allow her to enter the apartment.

"Apologize?!" Bulma exclaimed. She did not take one step towards the apartment, and Vegeta immediately frowned at her lack of cooperation. "Listen here, you jerk! You're the one who promised to visit me at my apartment, remember? I thought I'd come here to remind you since you never showed, even after I bailed you out of jail!"

Vegeta narrowed his eyes at Bulma. Had she already forgotten the reason he was in jail in the first place? "Listen to me!" Vegeta exclaimed as he grabbed Bulma by the arm and forcefully pulled her into the apartment, slamming the door behind her. She stumbled in and looked at him in disbelief. "I would have been there last night, as promised, if shit from your past didn't come ambushing me and ruining my good time!" He exclaimed as he unconsciously stepped towards Bulma.

She narrowed her eyes back at him, to his displeasure. This was no time for her to challenge him. "You wouldn't have been in jail if you showed a little restraint! I know Yamcha was in the wrong and started the whole thing, but this is the second time you've beat the hell out of someone because of me! You need to learn to control yourself, Vegeta." Vegeta felt the urge to touch her, almost to console her though he was still aggravated with her at the same time. He placed his hand on the crook of her neck, rubbing sensually as he continued glaring into her eyes. Damn, he still wanted to show her how angry he was, but he couldn't resist touching her.

"I can't control myself." Vegeta said as he placed his lips on hers fiercely. The double meaning in his words impacted Bulma just as his lips met hers, making her forget all about their conversation. She kissed back deeply, wrapping her arms around his neck. He pressed his body against hers, sensually running his hands down her body as he pressed her against the wall. Bulma moved her lips to his neck and started sucking, driving him mad with desire as he hardened and rubbed his groin into hers. He started hiking up her skirt, enjoying the feel of her soft skin and delicate curves under his fingers. He pulled her panties down as Bulma's breath hitched with anticipation. He didn't even bother to undress, just released himself from his pants as quickly as possible to be inside her. He needed to be inside her now. She kissed him deeply again, while he lifted her against the wall, finding her entrance. He thrust into her hard, partly out of his urgency to be inside her, and partly out of the need to show her what she was doing to him. She screamed his name when he entered her, and he started madly driving into her as she resumed kissing him deeply and running her hands over his body. Vegeta groaned as he felt his climax nearing, her tight walls shuddering against his member as Bulma screamed in her own release. He continued thrusting for a while, wanting to make it last, driving into her even harder. Bulma's nails clenched into his shoulders, and he finally met his release, growling into Bulma's shoulder as he slowed his pace and eventually stopped, dropping her carefully to the ground as Bulma regained her footing.

"Just promise me you'll try to control yourself, will you?" Bulma asked with a coy smile after releasing a very satisfied exhale. Vegeta smirked back at her. She wanted to finish the argument on her terms.

"Promise me you'll remember you're mine, and everyone else knows it." Vegeta negotiated as he separated from Bulma, keeping eye contact as he studied her reaction. Bulma smiled at him. A genuine smile. Looks like they had a deal.

"I love you, Vegeta." Bulma said as she gave him one last kiss and headed to the bathroom, not even waiting for a response. Vegeta wasn't going to yell after her, but he couldn't deny that he felt the same.


	23. The Truth

The Truth

Goku reached into the cabinet, searching for something to snack on as he paused to turn to Vegeta's harshly chastising voice. "Kakarot! You don't live here anymore. You can't just raid my cabinets as you please." Goku withdrew his empty hand from the cabinet, smiling shamefully at Vegeta.

"Sorry, Vegeta. Just a habit, I guess." He said as he closed the cabinet door and turned his back to the counter, hoping it would cease his craving for something to eat if the source of food wasn't in his view any longer. "Are you getting a roommate anytime soon?" Goku asked as he had noted Vegeta's lack of a replacement in the apartment since Raditz left. "Maybe Krillin could move in with you? I know he'd rather live with you than Yajirobe."

Vegeta scoffed. "Never. The coward's afraid of me." Vegeta said as he crossed his arms and leaned his waist against the kitchen counter. He studied Goku's face for a moment as Goku thought of Krillin and his current dilemma, stopping himself when he noticed Vegeta's scrutiny. Vegeta frowned. "What happened the other night? Krillin went home with that woman, didn't he?" Vegeta said with a smirk. Goku frowned back at him. He couldn't imagine what Vegeta found amusing about that. 18 was a really nice person, and her and Krillin were a great couple. This could ruin them. Vegeta laughed as he realized it was true. Goku didn't react as he shook it off and smiled back. Vegeta was diverting the conversation, changing the subject for some reason.

"Why don't you want to talk about your roommate, Vegeta?" Goku prodded as he crossed his arms, mirroring Vegeta. Vegeta sneered back for a moment, though Goku could tell he tried to hide it as his face quickly returned to the same expression he had held through the conversation. He was on the right track. He figured he'd take a guess now, obviously a roommate had been chosen. One who Vegeta didn't want to talk about. There was only one person Goku could think of that would be significant. He smirked at Vegeta knowingly, as Vegeta reacted by glaring at him. He knew that he knew.

"Bulma. You asked Bulma to move in with you." Goku said with a smile. If he was right, that was great. He never imagined Vegeta would take a relationship seriously enough to have a woman move in with him. He laughed to himself as he thought of how happy Bulma would be to know what a big deal this was.

"Not exactly." Vegeta said as he narrowed his eyes at his friend. "I'm moving into her apartment." He mumbled as he turned his face away and headed for the couch, seemingly embarrassed about the admission.

"Wow. I'm surprised." Goku said with an impressed frown, trying not to laugh at Vegeta's discomfort.

"Shut up, Kakarot." Vegeta spat, though Goku did not make a sound or use a mocking tone. How'd he know to tell him to shut up, Goku thought in amusement. "The only reason I'm moving in to _her_ apartment is because she refused to live here. She's determined not to live in this building with that old pervert watching over the apartments. Apparently she had a bad experience with him once." Vegeta said with a shrug.

"Oh, yeah. Chi-Chi's not too happy about that either. I think he snuck into our apartment again a few days ago, but I don't want to tell her about that and get her upset. There's only a month left until graduation." Goku said as he looked at his watch. It was about time to head to the gym. "You ready to go?" Goku asked as he headed to retrieve the gym bag he left by the door when he had arrived at Vegeta's. Vegeta headed to the kitchen and threw a few dishes in the sink before grabbing his gym bag as well.

"Let's get out of here." Vegeta said as he opened the apartment door, Goku following behind him. They walked in silence to Goku's car; it was his turn to drive. His thoughts lingered back to what he had just said. Only a month until graduation. Chi-Chi was just finishing the first trimester and feeling better now, and that meant he'd be a father shortly after graduating and training for his work as an officer. Everything seemed to be falling into place, but he had one huge nagging problem hanging over his shoulders. He knew he'd have to make a decision soon, before graduating. The truth was, he was scared. Was he ready for marriage?

* * *

Krillin opened the door, greeting 18 with a nervous laugh as he rubbed the back of his head and warily welcomed her into his apartment. This was uncomfortably familiar to yesterday for him, with the exception of Bulma lacking as a buffer. That actually made this feel worse. Krillin thought of the talk he had with Goku, and knew as much as he didn't want to, now was the time to have that talk with 18. But her showing up unannounced like this was not helping him feel very forthcoming at the moment. She glared at him as she entered the apartment, and he knew she was suspicious of his story from yesterday. At least he hadn't lied to her.

"What a nice surprise." Krillin said nervously as he shut the door, following 18 to the couch as she sat down and made herself comfortable without a word. "Do you want something to drink?" Krillin asked as he stalled, wishing for something, anything to interrupt him before he was forced to confront 18 with the truth and face her reaction.

"No." She stated simply as she stared straight ahead, not even bothering to look at him. No. This was going to be even harder than Krillin thought. "I don't want a drink. What I do want is for you to sit down and tell me what happened at Kame House. The truth this time." 18 said insistently as she indicated the couch with a forceful gesture. Krillin gulped as he made his way to the couch, keeping his eyes on the ground as he sat next to 18. He felt awful. The woman he loved, the woman he decided to propose to just a few days ago, was waiting for the truth from him. Why couldn't he just tell her everything? Why couldn't he at least look at her?

"Everything I told you _was_ true." Krillin said with false reassurance as he reached for 18's hand, though she quickly pulled it away.

"Maybe it was. Then I can understand us not being able to reach you or find you the next morning, and I can understand why you didn't bother to bail the guys out of jail when they called you. What I don't understand," 18 said scoldingly as she looked Krillin in the eyes, "is why you left the bar before all that shit went down. Why would you leave the bar alone, without the friends you came with?" 18 narrowed her eyes at Krillin as she studied his reaction, and he knew she was noting every mannerism, every nervous tic, which he couldn't possibly hide right now.

Krillin bit his lip in frustration, and forced himself to spit it out, feeling the anxiety of jumping off a cliff as he said it. "I was with Maron." He looked fearfully at 18, expecting to be immediately hit, or screamed at, or berated as she would most likely go off on him. He wasn't prepared for the cold, hard, silent stare she gave him. He needed to tell the rest, like Goku said, and he needed to do it fast, because it didn't look like she was going to give him much of a chance to explain himself. "I was really drunk, and she just showed up." His voice rose frantically as he spoke. "I really wasn't answering my phone that morning because I was drunk and passed out, just like I said. The only thing I didn't tell you—"

"Is that your ex-girlfriend was in bed with you? You spent the night together? Is that what you forgot to tell me?" 18 said venomously. Krillin took a deep breath, not realizing he had been holding it as 18 spoke to him finally. Saying words that would lead to what he hoped she wouldn't say.

"I didn't…I mean, I think I didn't…" Krillin had trouble explaining himself, but 18 needed to know that he might not have cheated on her. She stood from the couch, and Krillin reflexively clinged to her, trying to keep her from leaving. She shoved him off and headed for the door.

"Krillin!" She yelled as he followed and pulled her towards him again. "I'm not putting up with this shit." She shook her head and left the apartment, Krillin following her down the hall. She spun around swiftly, surprising Krillin as he stopped in his tracks. "Stay away from me! You want to be with Maron, go be with Maron!" She turned and continued leaving, Krillin stunned as he stood there disheartened. He felt like his world had just crumbled into pieces.

* * *

"Can you pass me some sunscreen?" Bulma asked as she gestured to Chi-Chi's patent beach bag. A little fancy for the beach, if you asked 18. But she had to admit it was cute, and cheerful with all its bright colors. Chi-Chi reached into the bag, passing the desired item to Bulma as she adjusted her sunglasses with her other hand. "So," Bulma said as she squirted the lotion into her hand and began applying it to her skin, "anybody interested in going in the water?"

Chi-Chi let out a very unladylike raspberry, causing 18 to giggle. She caught Bulma smiling at her smile. "No way." Chi-Chi said as she laid back on her beach towel, looking like she was gazing straight at the sun while her sunglasses hid her closed eyes.

"Why not? Pregnant women not allowed to swim or something?" Bulma asked challengingly, causing Chi-Chi to lift her chest and rest on her elbow, lowering her sunglasses to cast a warning look at Bulma. "You've been spending too much time with Vegeta." Chi-Chi complained as she returned to lying down. "You're starting to sound just like him." Bulma laughed, and shrugged as she realized that did just sound like something Vegeta would have said.

"Hey!" 18 yelled, causing both her friends to startle and look at her in surprise. 18 was not expecting such a big reaction, but then again, she hadn't said much since they left for this beach trip. "If you bitches are taking me here to cheer me up and help me forget about my…about Krillin," 18 said with an annoyed tone as she corrected herself for almost saying 'my boyfriend', "then I don't want to hear anything about boyfriends. Got it? Don't even mention them. Today, we all have no boyfriends. We are all just women at the beach." 18 said with a nod of her head as she put her own sunglasses on, copying Chi-Chi's pose as she laid herself on her own beach towel to the left of the other two women.

18 noticed Chi-Chi and Bulma look at each other for a moment, some sort of silent communication, before they returned to what they had been doing. Good, they must have understood. Bulma was reading a book in her beach chair, and Chi-Chi was just sunbathing. The sound of the waves at the beach was very relaxing. And the heat of the sun on her skin, as well as the cool ocean breeze, finally had 18 relaxing enough to forget about everything.

She found herself nodding off before long, until she heard a seagull, then more seagulls, and their squawking seemed to be getting louder and closer. She sat up and looked towards the noise, unhappy to see a kid nearby feeding the damn things. And his stupid mother was encouraging him to feed them because it was 'fun'. 18 was having fun, until the little terd ruined it with his seagull flock. She scoffed as she looked at her friends. Chi-Chi seemed to not notice the seagulls; 18 wondered if maybe she fell asleep. And Bulma was watching the feeding with a smile, seemingly adoring the child's giggles as he continued throwing bits of bread at the loud, obnoxious, swarming birds. 18 frowned at Bulma in confusion. Was this really amusing and not annoying? Maybe there was something wrong with her? Maybe breaking up with a guy who you hate to admit it, but you really thought could be the one, really makes everything suck. 18 felt like running for cover as they birds flew over them, certain that she'd be the first one splattered with bird crap. She cringed as she turned to Bulma, speaking loudly enough for the woman and boy to hear.

"Bulma, have you ever seen 'The Birds'?" 18 asked warningly. Bulma turned her attention from the frolicking, laughing little boy, and laughed at 18.

"18, they're seagulls. Seagulls are harmless." Bulma said with a genuine, warming smile.

"Yeah, until they shit on you." 18 muttered as she keenly watched the sky for any hovering birds. Bulma laughed again, then looked at Chi-Chi.

"Hey, 18. You think we should wake Chi-Chi? I don't think it's good for her to be getting so much sun when she's pregnant." Bulma said in concern as she determined that Chi-Chi had, indeed, fallen asleep. 18 looked at Chi-Chi. She looked so peacefully rested, which 18 envied at the moment as she had almost been there herself a moment ago. But Bulma was probably right. She reached her arm over to Chi-Chi's shoulder, giving her a gentle shake until she started to stir. "Chi-Chi?" Bulma asked as Chi-Chi opened her eyes, facing Bulma.

"Mmm? What?" Chi-Chi asked drowsily as she slowly sat up.

"We better get off the beach, babe." 18 said authoritatively as she stood from her beach towel and began putting on her sandals. "You're going to burn, and I don't think that's good for you, right?"

"No! It's not good for me!" Chi-Chi said, immediately alert as she hustled to gather things from her beach bag and began covering herself. "You know how much crazy shit happens to you when you're pregnant? The sun is one of many things that I refuse to let ruin my looks during this pregnancy." Chi-Chi said stubbornly as she finished dressing herself in her cover-up and put her sandals on. Bulma slowly stood as well, placing her book in her beach bag and folding her chair.

"So, what now? We still have plenty of time. You girls want to grab a slice of pizza or something?" Bulma asked as she reached into her bag and pulled out her phone, studying the screen for the time. There was a great pizza place right on the beach; the girls could walk to it in only a couple of minutes. 18 had to agree that pizza sounded pretty good right now, as it most likely was past lunch time and they hadn't had anything to eat yet.

"Yes. Let's go!" 18 forced out some enthusiasm as she gathered the rest of her things and Chi-Chi folded her towel and placed it in her bag; the three of them making the slow, grueling hike to the pizza place through the hot, dry sand. They were huffing and puffing by the time they reached the place, and 18 found their disheveled appearance rather amusing with their windblown hair and sand caked on their bodies. The only thing she didn't find amusing was the mound of sand she felt clumped inside the bottom of her bikini. That was the worst thing about going to the beach.

Bulma offered to order three slices for them, until Chi-Chi requested a second. 18 and Chi-Chi found a table while Bulma lined up to order. There were only a few customers ahead of her, so they didn't expect her to take long. Chi-Chi sighed as she sat down at the white plastic table, and 18 noticed she looked uncomfortable to be sitting there with her. Ah, yes. The girl with a perfect relationship never knows what to say to her friend who's going through a breakup. 18 decided she'd break the ice. This uncomfortable shit was not helping her feel any better.

"Chi-Chi. I know I said I didn't want to hear about boyfriends. But if you find it so hard to talk to me, just say whatever the hell you want. I just want to have a good time." 18 said exasperatedly as she forced herself to smile at her friend. Smiling felt so strange. She hadn't felt like it for the past few days, and it took a lot of work to make that happen right now. But after doing it, it actually did feel a little better.

Chi-Chi smiled back, looking relieved. "Thanks, 18. I'm really sorry. I just can't believe-" 18 frowned at Chi-Chi with a threatening look, and she stopped talking immediately. This was no time to talk about what Krillin did, or what a scumbag he was for cheating, or how this could happen. 18 was not going to hear any of it right now, and Chi-Chi could see that. "I can't believe I was able to wear a bikini to the beach today." Chi-Chi amended as she looked meaningfully towards her belly. 18 had noticed Chi-Chi's belly starting to swell, though she was so thin to begin with that she still looked great in a bikini. 18 had felt so bad for Chi-Chi with the whole surprise pregnancy thing. But now-now she almost envied her. She'd rather have Chi-Chi's worries and be in a happy relationship than be going through what she was right now.

Bulma hustled over to the table, balancing her four pizza slices on paper plates as she approached. 18 immediately reached out to help spread the slices across the table, and grabbed the empty Styrofoam cups Bulma offered. She went to get herself a drink, deep in thought about what Krillin did that night, and what he tried to tell her. _He didn't_. He didn't what? Why hadn't she let him finish? Because it was excuses, she told herself as she reached the drink fountain and filled her cup with the noisy ice dispenser. _He thinks he didn't_. Maybe it wasn't excuses if he wasn't completely denying anything. She filled her cup with lemonade and returned to the table as she continued thinking. Chi-Chi got up to fill her cup, leaving Bulma alone with 18. 18 didn't realize Bulma was watching her as she was too distracted in her own mind.

"18." Bulma said, startling 18. "I talked to Chi-Chi about this. She overheard Krillin confessing to Goku, before he told you." Bulma said as 18 raised her eyebrows in interest. "He said he didn't know what happened that night, 18." Bulma said as Chi-Chi returned to the table, overhearing her.

Chi-Chi frowned at Bulma, apparently unhappy that Bulma was allowed to talk about it when she wasn't. "Are you telling her what I told you, Bulma?" Chi-Chi asked as she sat with her drink in hand, taking a sip.

"Yes. Yes, I am." Bulma said boldly as she stood from her chair. "But why don't you tell her the rest, Chi-Chi?" She asked as she walked off to fill her own drink. Chi-Chi took another sip of her drink, looking at 18 with a serious expression.

"Is that true?" 18 asked. Chi-Chi nodded.

"If he hadn't told you, I was going to. But I'm impressed that he actually did it." Chi-Chi said with the smile of a proud parent in the making. "18, if Krillin said that to you, I'd say he was lying. But he went to Goku when he thought I was asleep. It was just the two of them. And he sounded really distressed when he said he didn't know what happened. Why would he lie to Goku about it? He said she was dressed, and he was in his boxers when he woke up. He said she told him she didn't remember what happened, either." Chi-Chi said as she raised her pizza to her lips, taking a bite as she watched 18 for a reaction.

18 thought this over carefully. So this must be what Krillin wanted to tell her before she left. Either way, he went home with Maron, and let her spend the night at his place. He may have been drunk, but that wouldn't happen unless he still wanted her, right? 18 looked at Chi-Chi who happily took another bite of her pizza, apparently loving the taste. 18 took a bite herself as it smelled really good, chewing thoughtfully as she watched her happy friend. Bulma returned to the table and she and Chi-Chi started chatting about graduation and plans for moving and finding jobs. 18 took another bite and continued chewing as she mused on this Maron issue. Maybe she'd have to talk to the source of the problem before she could put this whole thing behind her. She couldn't move on from Krillin until she knew the whole story. She smiled at Bulma, who was happily complaining about how quickly Vegeta had moved his stuff in today and took over her apartment already. She wanted to be as happy as her friends were, and she decided she'd go talk to Maron herself to find out about Krillin. They were already broken up, so the little slut couldn't do any more harm than she'd already done. She could just clear up the truth for 18, so she could either move on or realize her own mistakes.


	24. Have A Talk

Have A Talk

"Ugh. You always kick my ass!" Krillin grumbled as he threw his controller down on the floor in a juvenile tantrum. Goku placed his controller much more gently on the couch as he turned off the game and turned to his friend, knowing his behavior really had nothing to do with the video game.

"Not always." Goku said as he smiled and laid his hands on the back of his head, leaning back into the couch. He was facing the television screen, enjoying his victory without trying to show that to Krillin. He took a sideways glance at Krillin, hoping he was not looking as downcast as Goku thought he might be. He looked worse.

"Goku, I really screwed up." Krillin complained, disheartened. "18 will never forgive me, and she was so perfect for me!" Krillin rose from the couch and headed to his kitchen. Goku decided to follow, to keep talking to his friend, but he was also interested in what food Krillin had in there. He met Krillin in the kitchen, who was grabbing a package of popcorn from the cabinet. Goku smiled brightly when Krillin placed it in the microwave and hit the popcorn setting. He could taste it already as he licked his lips in anticipation. Krillin smiled at Goku, apparently finding his behavior funny. They had been friends long enough anyways; Krillin should know to feed Goku if he wanted to have a talk.

"Krillin, you're not even sure if you really did screw up." Goku said as he took a seat at the small dining table in Krillin's kitchen. "Are you sure you can't remember what happened that night?"

"No, I can't remember it!" Krillin snapped. "Besides, no matter what happened between me and Maron, I screwed up anyways, Goku." Goku was confused by that. 18 was angry because she thought Krillin cheated on her. Why would she be upset if she found out it never happened? The microwave beeped and a few more pops of popcorn sounded as Krillin opened the microwave, grabbing a bowl from the cabinets and pouring the bag of popcorn into the bowl as he joined Goku at the table. Krillin looked at Goku, recognizing his confused expression as he reached into the popcorn bowl. "Just the fact that I went home drunk with another girl was a bad move, Goku. I put myself in the position to cheat, so even if I didn't do it, I still don't expect 18 to forgive me." Krillin reached into the popcorn, taking a huge bite as Goku thought over what he just said.

"Really?" He said, still confused. He hoped that wasn't true. If that was how women thought, he might end up in trouble with Chi-Chi some day and not even know why. Krillin nodded adamantly as he swallowed his popcorn, coughing a little bit as the scratchy food went down his throat.

"Yeah. I've been calling her and apologizing. She won't return my calls, won't answer them. I'm afraid it's over. What if she's moved on already? I can't stand the idea of 18 with someone else, Goku!" Krillin said worriedly with a deep frown. Goku felt bad for Krillin, but what could he do? What could he possibly tell him that would help? "And I was ready to marry that girl." Krillin said with a frown as he stood and headed out of the kitchen. Goku followed, curious what Krillin was doing now. Krillin went to his bar, pulling out a bottle of vodka. Goku frowned at him. It was the middle of the day on a weekday. Krillin might be feeling like he needed a drink right now, but he did have classes later today.

"Krillin, what are you doing?" Goku asked as Krillin grabbed a cup and poured the straight vodka.

"I need a drink, Goku. Here, it's no good drinking alone. You have one." Krillin said as he grabbed another cup and prepared to pour.

"Krillin, I'm going to the gym later. I'm not drinking anything right now." Goku said as he grabbed the bottle before Krillin could pour him anything. Krillin frowned disappointedly at Goku, but returned the bottle to its place.

"Fine. Suit yourself." Krillin said as he gulped down his drink. This was the most pathetic Krillin Goku had ever seen. But he still had to ask, while they were on the subject.

"How did you know?" Goku asked as he returned to the kitchen for more popcorn, Krillin following now that he had had his drink. Krillin wrinkled his eyebrows in confusion. Apparently he wasn't following. "I mean, how did you know that you were ready to propose?" Goku asked as he returned to his seat, grabbing for more popcorn from the waiting bowl.

"I-I don't know." Krillin said with a shrug, apparently self-conscious about talking about this. "18 is just…different. She's special, Goku. And I know I'll never find anyone like her again. I couldn't let that get away from me. No matter what we do after graduation, I know I want her to always be with me. That's why this is so hard." Krillin said with a heavy sigh as his eyes drifted down to the ground. Goku felt terrible. Maybe he shouldn't have asked about the proposal thing. It was just rubbing salt in Krillin's wound. His friends really needed to stop coming to him when they needed someone to talk to.

"Listen, Krillin. Don't give up." Goku said as Krillin quickly lifted his head to meet Goku's eyes in surprise. "Keep trying, keep reaching out and maybe she'll bend. Maybe she just needs time to cool off." Goku suggested with a smile as he stood and gave Krillin a reassuring grab of the shoulder. "I'm gonna have to get going, though, Krillin." Goku said as he realized his class was starting soon. Only a few classes left, and school was over, that was a rewarding thought. Krillin stood and walked Goku to the door as Goku quickly grabbed his things and headed out. "Thanks for the popcorn."

"Hey, Goku!" Krillin called as Goku was already out the door and making his way down the hall. Goku stopped and turned around. "Thanks for listening, man." Krillin said with a slight smile as he wrung his hand on his doorknob, slightly swinging the door before retreating into his apartment and shutting it. Goku turned around, surprised that Krillin was actually thanking _him_ after that conversation. It was Krillin that Goku should thank.

* * *

Bulma walked into her apartment, throwing her keys on the coffee table as she passed through the living room and went straight into her room to put her binder and book from class by the computer. She'd need to finish this big, final assignment soon, so the computer was the best place for them. She took off her shoes and headed back to the living room, back to Vegeta. He was looking up from the coffee table, frowning at her. Apparently when she threw her keys, she had screwed up the pile of papers Vegeta had been looking through that were sprawled across the table when she came in. She gave him an apologetic smile as she bent down to retrieve the papers that had landed on the ground, looking up at Vegeta as she caught him eyeing her cleavage. She smirked at him, proud that she could get him interested even when she just did something to piss him off, and hadn't even said hello yet.

"Hello, Vegeta." Bulma said seductively as she stood and handed him the papers. "Did you have a good day today?" She asked as she sat on the couch next to him. He placed the papers on the table absently and turned to her with a smirk. Apparently he was enjoying their proximity. She was right, she realized, when instead of answering her verbally, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hungrily. She smiled into the kiss as his tongue met her mouth, and he began feeling her up, surprisingly aggressive for such a sudden attack. Where was this coming from?

Bulma pushed back a bit, not that she wasn't enjoying what Vegeta was doing to her, but she wanted to know what was going on. Vegeta refused to allow it, pulling her in closer as he licked her neck and sucked on her earlobe. He finally released her ear, just to speak into it huskily. "I had a bad day. But you're going to make it better now." Bulma shuddered. Damn, Vegeta was hot when he took control. He pulled at the bottom of her shirt, Bulma quickly helping him as she wanted all their layers of clothing out of the way right now. She removed his shirt, and they both stood to remove their pants as well. Bulma was surprised when Vegeta kissed her again while she tried to find her buttons and wiggle out of her fitted pants. She reached her hand into his, excited to find his solid erection and hear him moan as she stroked it.

They separated to remove their pants and underwear, and Bulma hastily ran to the bedroom, knowing Vegeta would follow. She climbed on the bed and turned on her back, only to laugh in surprise as Vegeta leapt on top of her suddenly. He kissed her again, fondling her breast with one hand while supporting his body with the other. He ground his erection against her body, searching for her entrance as Bulma bucked her hips to reach him. Never removing their lips from one another, Vegeta finally found Bulma's warm entrance and thrust himself forcefully inside her, causing Bulma to yell as he continued thrusting deeply and hungrily. Bulma wrapped her arms around Vegeta, enjoying his muscular back under her fingers and his musky scent against her as they continued going for quite a while and working up a sweat. She enjoyed the sound of the headboard thumping against the wall as he continued driving into her with passion. Finally, Bulma could not contain herself any longer and she let out a scream, having an incredible orgasm, Vegeta never slowing down as the orgasm continued for a while. He sped up and reached his climax as well, she realized, as she felt him shudder and squeeze her to him tightly with a loud groan. He continued panting into her ear for a minute, and Bulma sighed contently as he pulled out of her and left the bed. She lay there for a minute before heading into the bathroom, deciding to take a shower.

When Bulma came out of the shower, she dressed and returned to the living room. She was surprised to find Vegeta back where she had found him when she first got home. Sitting on the couch and poring over the piles of papers on the coffee table. He was so concentrated on what he was doing that he didn't even seem to notice her coming into the living room, or sitting on the couch next to him. She looked curiously at the papers. What could have Vegeta so focused? And why did he have a bad day, she wondered as she picked up a paper and perused it.

Just as Bulma began reading, Vegeta's cell phone rang. He glanced at Bulma, apparently just noticing she was there as he went in the kitchen where his phone was sitting on the counter, answering it as he walked into the bedroom and shut the door. Bulma looked back at the paper. She wrinkled her eyebrows in confusion as she turned to the coffee table and began looking over the other papers. What was so bad about this? They were acceptance letters, to several law schools. Bulma knew Vegeta would get off from those charges from the bar fight, there was no way they would stick with the suave family lawyer Vegeta had hired to represent him. And with all these schools accepting him, he had nothing to worry about. She contemplated Vegeta's organization of the letters. He had them separated into piles, and as she looked more closely, she realized what he was debating over. They were categorized by location. And all of the schools were in or near the cities where Bulma had applied for employment. Bulma smiled as she sank into the couch, throwing the papers back on the table. Maybe Vegeta's only worries today were about asking Bulma to move with him to the school he chose. She really didn't care, as far as her own situation went. She knew wherever she applied, she would be hired. She had the top GPA in her field, and an excellent record. She had no preferences, either. She just wanted to go where Vegeta was going, and apparently he wanted the same thing.

* * *

18 angrily slapped the bell in a repetitive motion. The shrill ringing should have elicited some response by now from this tiny office, even over the noise of the aerobic program she could hear playing in the back. After a few more minutes of waiting, 18 scoffed and was about to leave when someone finally emerged from the door in the back of the office. The old man sloppily stumbled out, looking quite shameful. 18 grimaced in disgust when she imagined what he could have been up to back there that kept her waiting so long.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Miss." The old man said as he fumbled behind his desk, finally taking a seat. "To what do I owe the pleasure of such a pretty young lady coming into my office today? You're definitely not a resident here." He said interestedly as he glanced up and down 18's body. She quickly took a seat on her side of the desk, appreciating the fact that it covered part of his view of her body.

"I need you to tell me where I can find one of your residents." 18 said as she crossed her legs and leaned back in her chair. She couldn't help noticing the man glancing down at her legs as she did so. She rolled her eyes and continued. "Her name is Maron. I know she lives somewhere in this building. She and I have some talking to do." 18 said with a smirk as she looked at the suspicious face of the old man.

"Maron, huh?" The old man said with a thrilled smile. He knew who she was talking about. Good. That saved some time for 18. "I'm sorry. I don't know why you need to speak to her, but the addresses of residents are confidential. I can't just give out that information." He said as he folded his hands on the desk, giving a very professional appearance. 18 knew this landlord was not at all a strict adherer to policies. After the stories her friends had from their past dealings with him, she knew just what kind of man he was, and did not appreciate the game he was playing right now. Fortunately, she came prepared for this.

"I know how to show my appreciation to people that are helpful." 18 said meaningfully, quickly finishing her statement before he got the wrong idea about her offer. "I know some girls who are paying their way through college by dancing. All you have to do is give me her address, and I'll get you into the club where they work for free for a night." Roshi stroked his beard, considering her offer as 18 realized she'd have him now with this last bit. "And, if this works out well for me, one of my classmates even offered to throw in a free lap dance for you. I just need to write a paper for her. It's a pretty good trade." 18 said with a satisfied smirk as she reached into her purse, pulling out a slip of paper, then grabbing a pen from the cup on Roshi's desk. She pushed them over to Roshi, as he absently accepted them from her hands, still thinking of her proposition.

"College girls, huh? You're not talking about ugly ones, are you?" Roshi said skeptically even as he already positioned his hands to begin writing. 18 shook her head no with a satisfied smile.

"Just give me apartment number, phone number, whatever you've got. Remember, if I can't reach her, the deal's off." 18 said as she watched Roshi begin writing. Apparently he had Maron's information committed to memory. She grabbed the slip from him, careful not to make contact with his skin as she glanced at the writing. He had provided an apartment number and a phone number. This was just what she needed. She sent him a satisfied smirk as she pocketed the paper and stood from her chair.

"When do I get my lap dance?" Roshi asked as his eyes lit up with excitement. 18 gazed at him thoughtfully for a moment, then headed for the door, gesturing for him to stop as he hastily followed after her.

"I'll have Maron call you after we talk." 18 smirked. "And if you don't hear from her…"18 lifted her eyes up to the ceiling thoughtfully, then had the perfect idea. "If you don't hear from her, take it up with Krillin." She walked out of the office, satisfied that she could finally do what she had set her mind on a few days ago.

She grabbed her phone from her purse and pulled the number from her pocket, dialing it quickly as she headed to her car. She sat inside the car, locked the doors and started the engine before pushing the talk button on her phone. It rang a few times, and she really hoped for an answer as she didn't want to leave any messages right now. She just wanted to get this done. "Hello?" she heard in the airy, oblivious voice that she quickly recognized.

"Hello, Maron. This is 18. We need to have a little talk." 18 said with a frown as she was already getting angry just hearing this woman's voice.

"Oookay…" she heard Maron respond warily. "uh, what is this about?" she asked. 18 really did not feel like explaining herself to the bitch, but this would go so much easier if she wanted to cooperate.

"We need to talk about what happened after you went to the Kame House the other night." 18 answered, not waiting for a response this time. "Meet me tomorrow morning at that little coffee shop across the street from your apartments. I'll be there at eight." 18 said as she hung up the phone. She didn't know if Maron would show, but she would just show up at Maron's apartment door if this didn't work. The coffee shop might not be the best place for this conversation, either. So 18 would have to get a to-go cup, she figured. She shrugged to herself, content enough with the plan as she shifted her car into reverse, heading home for the evening. Her instincts were screaming at her that Maron knew more than she was telling Krillin. She was finally going to have a talk that would tell the whole story.


	25. Names

Names

So many, so many choices. Chi-Chi flipped to the next page, supporting her chin on her palm as she leaned on the kitchen counter. She scanned the page, slamming the book closed with a huff as the names all began to jumble together in her mind and she realized she needed a break. She heard the apartment door open, and turned around smiling to see Goku coming home. He dropped his things by the door as it swung closed, a habit she had learned to accept by now. At least he wasn't throwing them all over the place, it was orderly enough.

"Hi, honey." She said sweetly as he approached her quickly, giving her a quick kiss on the lips before zooming into the kitchen. She chuckled to herself. The man just couldn't wait for dinner. Of course, the way she was feeling now with this baby growing in her belly, she actually could finally understand how he felt. She joined him and helped scoop the chili she had made which had been heating all day into bowls.

"Did you have a good day?" Goku asked her as he took a long, satisfied whiff of the food.

"Yeah." Chi-Chi said as she set the bowls at the counter, sliding her book out of the way as she went to retrieve some spoons and napkins. She turned back to the counter and Goku to find he had picked up the book, opening it with a curious expression. She stopped and watched him, curious if he might have some useful input. He looked up at her, cocking his head to the side with a thoughtful expression which Chi-Chi found very cute on such a handsome man.

"Choosing a name already?" He asked as he set the book back down.

"Yeah. It's been helping me deal with the symptoms and the reality of all this." Chi-Chi said as she and Goku sat to eat. "This part is the most fun, it's a great distraction. But I'm burning out now. I need to take a step back." Chi-Chi said as she scooped her chili, blowing off the hot steam before taking a bite. Goku took a bite, not even bothering to blow. Chi-Chi laughed into her bowl, trying not to lose her food as he made a pained expression, apparently having burned his mouth. He quickly took a sip of his drink, frowning at Chi-Chi as he set the cup down. She stopped laughing and took a sip herself. "You know what, Goku?" Chi-Chi said thoughtfully. They had really put this off, but it was necessary.

"What?" Goku said, looking attentively again towards the book on the counter.

"We really need to tell our parents in person. We can't just call them about something like this." Chi-Chi said, noting Goku's sudden stiffness at her suggestion as he turned to her. He smiled at her, but she could tell it was a forced smile.

"Yeah, you're right. But maybe we can wait until after graduation?" Goku suggested.

"After graduation? Goku, I'm already three months pregnant. I can't believe I was able to keep it from my father for this long. Why would you want to wait?" Chi-Chi asked as she continued eating.

"It's only one more week, Chi-Chi. If we could wait this long, we can wait another week." Goku said confidently as he blew this time on his chili, taking another bite happily. Chi-Chi noted his evasion of explaining why he wanted to wait. There was a lot of that going on lately. He was up to something, Chi-Chi realized as she pursed her lips thoughtfully.

"I guess one more week is not a big deal." Chi-Chi said hesitantly as she noted Goku returning his attention to the book. "Do you have any ideas?" She asked him.

"Ideas?" He said as his attention quickly snapped from the book and he looked uncomfortably at Chi-Chi.

"Yeah. For names." She said as his face quickly melted into one of relief and his demeanor became relaxed. She smiled perceptively at him. He was definitely up to something.

* * *

"Okay." 18 sighed in frustration as she rubbed her palm into her forehead. "Let's try this one more time, you airhead." She spoke through her teeth, looking at the loose, slutty little floozy in front of her, who sipped carelessly at her coffee with a clueless expression. As if she didn't know what 18 was about to ask her. She could not think of any more ways to say it than she already had, and if this woman didn't spill soon…18 was just going to lose it. "What happened after you left the Kame House with Krillin? I know you slept at his place, but he doesn't remember anything."

"I know. You went over all of that already. Do I really have to hear this from you again?" Maron asked as she took another sip with a frown, placing her free hand on her hip. At least she was finally frowning; maybe she realized this was serious now. But to have the nerve to complain about the repetition of this conversation, she was really pushing her luck. If she would stop being an idiot and answer the question straight, this would have been over a while ago.

"I don't know. Are you going to answer the question this time? So I can stop asking and get a fucking answer from you?" 18 growled as Maron reacted in surprise to her hostility. Maron threw her empty cup in the nearby trash can where they stood outside the coffee shop, crossing her arms and assuming a prissy stance with attitude as she crossed her arms and looked at 18.

"I already told you-"

"No! I don't want to hear what you already told me. Stop wasting my time, stop lying to me!" 18 said, clenching her fists and stepping forward.

"You are an angry person, aren't you?" Maron asked as she took a step back from 18's advance. That was it. The woman was useless, and she pissed 18 off, and wasted her entire morning. If she couldn't get her to speak, at least she could get her to feel pain. She stepped towards Maron again, this time pulling her arm back and throwing her fist forward as she punched the other woman in the face. That felt good, finally this meeting was paying off. Maron drew back and grabbed her face in her hands, letting out a surprised and hurt scream.

"What the fuck? You bitch!" Maron called as she attempted to swing back at 18, 18 laughing at her as she stepped back and easily dodged the sloppy blow. Maron looked up at her in frustration. 18 glared at Maron threateningly, stepping forward again. She was ready to take another swing when Maron raised her hands defensively and yelled for her to stop.

"I missed Krillin!" Maron admitted in a shriek, causing 18 to pause and listen. This was the first time Maron admitted to something truthfully. Maybe she'd tell the rest. "I apologized, and we made up. I asked him to ride home with me, share a cab. I thought we could get back together. He had mentioned something about a girlfriend, but…well, anyways. I thought we could get back together." Maron admitted as she straightened her stance, relaxing as she realized 18 was no longer going to attack. 18 leaned back on her heels and crossed her arms as she studied Maron. She surmised that the woman was telling the truth.

"So what happened?" 18 pushed, waiting for the part she needed to know.

"We went to his apartment first after the cab dropped us off. I convinced him to let me come with him by claiming to have left something of mine at his place from when we were dating. I asked to use his bathroom, intending to doll myself up and come out and seduce him." Maron said with a smirk, quickly reeling in her attitude as 18's hostility returned in reaction to it. "When I came out of the bathroom, he was passed out in the bed." Maron rolled her eyes, apparently still disappointed in the outcome of the situation. Maron smiled as she noted 18 looking relieved. "So, I still tried."

"You still tried? After he passed out drunk?" 18 asked skeptically.

"Yeah." Maron said proudly. "I stripped him down to his boxers, tried sucking him off to get him hard, hoping maybe he'd wake up and take me." Maron's proud smile turned to a frown. "But he was just too out of it. The cute little fool just stayed passed out, didn't even get hard for me." 18 smiled smugly at Maron. She knew it. She knew the bitch was hiding something.

"What happened after that? What's with the 'I don't remember anything, either' act?" 18 asked as she placed her hands on her hips, feeling very powerful and confident about this conversation now.

"I woke up the next morning to Krillin freaking out. He didn't remember anything after the cab ride, he told me, and he kept asking me what happened." Maron giggled at the memory, frowning in fear as 18 glowered at her. "So I said I didn't remember either, hoping he'd put the clues together and at least I could use the situation to my advantage. If he thought he cheated and broke up with you, maybe he'd come back to me after that." 18 frowned as she remembered telling Krillin to go be with Maron after dumping him. Now she really regretted that suggestion. Maron's plan almost worked, if it wasn't for Krillin being so committed to 18. 18 frowned thoughtfully, giving a quick nod to Maron as she slowly walked away.

"Hey!" Maron called after her. "You're not going to tell Krillin, are you?" 18 laughed as she shook her head and continued walking away. "Hey!" Maron called again, her voice further away now. 18 reached her car, laughing to herself. Now all she had to think about was how she was going to handle Krillin.

* * *

"I'm helping you with this thing, you need to do something for me." Vegeta said with a demanding tone as he walked out of class.

"Okay, Vegeta. What do you need?" Goku asked as he quickened his steps to keep with Vegeta's pace. Vegeta frowned thoughtfully as he continued walking, noting Goku's movements as he was about to prod more for an answer impatiently. Vegeta turned to him sharply with a hiss through his teeth, causing Goku to start and refrain from saying anything. Vegeta shook his head and continued thinking, halting his walk when he was ready to speak. Goku stopped with him.

"I already have the plans in action. All you have to do is get Bulma to the airport, right after the graduation ceremony." Vegeta looked at Goku expectantly, disappointed at his returning frown. Usually his foolishly loyal friend would readily agree to something like this. The frown was unexpected.

"Does it have to be right after graduation, Vegeta? I promised Chi-Chi we'd talk to our parents." Goku complained.

"Talk to your parents?" Vegeta scoffed. He sneered at the thought, then realized why they needed to talk. "You haven't told them yet? What were you waiting for, the birth?" Vegeta laughed.

"Graduation." Goku said with a smirk as they resumed walking. Vegeta frowned at him, understanding what he was thinking as he sighed noisily.

"Fine. When you're done with all your shit, bring her to the airport." Vegeta modified as they approached the bookstore, where they'd been heading.

Goku reached for the door, swinging it open as Vegeta walked in. "But what should I tell her?"

"I don't care." Vegeta growled. Did he have to think of every little detail himself? He had already put enough planning into this, and was beginning to wonder if it was really worth the trouble. "You can be a good liar when you want to. Just convince her to go to the airport, and I'll be there, waiting at the baggage drop-off." Goku shrugged, looking doubtful, but giving a slight nod in affirmation. That was not making Vegeta confident in this plan. He grabbed Goku by the shirt, stopping him as Goku looked at him in surprise. "You better not screw this up. If you do something to ruin my plans, I'll make sure you pay." Vegeta threatened as he released Goku's shirt. Goku stepped back and straightened his shirt with an amused expression.

"Hey! Don't worry, Vegeta." Goku said with a confident smile. "Everything will be perfect. I'm sure Bulma will be very happy with your surprise." They approached the tables that held the caps and gowns they needed to collect for graduation as Goku turned to Vegeta in the line. "I won't screw up. Just come help me this afternoon like I asked, and you'll have nothing to worry about." The slightly threatening undertone of Goku's statement almost had Vegeta bristling, until he was distracted by a voice when they reached the front of the line.

"Names?" The girl at the table asked as they approached. Goku smiled at her and told her his name as Vegeta watched him suspiciously, wondering if he could really trust his friend with this task. He'd have to, he realized, as he had no one else to turn to. But he better not disappoint, Vegeta thought as he gave the girl his name. She handed each of them their cap and gown, neatly folded and packaged with their names attached. Vegeta was proud to see his special summa cum laude tassels included with the packaging as he accepted it. They'd be graduating in a few days, and going on a trip. But for now, he'd need to fill his end of the bargain by heading to a store this afternoon with Goku. One he never thought he'd bother stepping into, especially not to help him.


	26. Happy Endings

Happy Endings

"Yes. 5:30?" 18 said as she checked the time to see how much longer she had until then. "Good. We'll go out for dinner after you get here." The man on the other end of the line continued speaking, though 18 could not hear it too well over the arguing voices coming from the living room. What the hell were they doing in there? Some noise was to be expected with the packing and clearing the place before their father arrived, but 17 and 16 never argued. She didn't even think 16 was still here right now.

"18?" She heard from the phone, and realized she was caught not listening.

"Look, there's a lot of noise over here, Dad. I need to get going. We'll see you soon, okay?" They said goodbye as 18 hung up the phone and opened her bedroom door, heading out to the living room to chastise her brother and cousin for making so much noise when they knew she was on the phone with Dr. Gero. She stepped out into the living room, stopping and gasping when she saw who was there.

"18! Please, please just hear me out!" Krillin said, trying to push his way past 17 who looked very pissed and ready to beat Krillin down. 18 wondered if Krillin realized just how serious her brother was about keeping them apart. After all, he knew about Maron and the breakup; 18 needed to vent after it happened. But he hadn't heard 18's latest findings. She realized she'd better step in before things turned ugly.

"17! Let Krillin through." 18 said, surprised at the wavering in her voice upon saying his name. She had been preparing to speak to Krillin, debating how to approach him. But him coming here and taking her by surprise, it caught her off-guard. Now she was not prepared to have this conversation. At least she was certain that they needed to talk alone. She needed to get rid of her guard dog of a brother first. "Will you just go outside for a while? Dad will be here at 5:30. Make sure the house is cleared before he gets here." 17 frowned deeply at 18, and she knew he wouldn't let this go easily. "Please, 17. I really need to talk to Krillin."

17 glared at Krillin, huffed, and headed outside wordlessly and reluctantly. 18 breathed a sigh of relief, then turned to Krillin, and felt anxiety welling up again. He looked so sad, so heartbroken. She frowned deeply, knowing she was the cause of it. "Come on, Krillin." 18 said calmly, gesturing for him to follow as she retreated back into her bedroom.

"18, listen-" Krillin began as soon as he shut the door behind him.

"No!" 18 interrupted, startling Krillin as he visibly jumped. "You listen to me." She spoke very assertively, and she could tell Krillin was scared of what she was going to say. Maybe she'd tone it down a little. "I forgive you."

"You…w-what?" Krillin said, first looking like he was prepared to argue, then his face morphed into an expression of total confusion as 18's words sank in.

"I forgive you." 18 repeated softly as she stepped closer to Krillin. "I still want to be with you, Krillin. And…I'm sorry."

"_You're_ sorry?" Krillin asked, his face still perplexed even as a guarded smile started to creep on his face. "Isn't that what I'm supposed to say?"

"First of all," 18 began as she placed a hand on Krillin's cheek and caressed his face, "you already did. Several times, actually. Secondly, you never did anything to be sorry for." 18 noticed Krillin's confusion, and smiled amusedly at him. "I had a talk with the little skank. She confessed that she knew everything, and nothing happened. She was trying to break us up." Krillin looked shocked, and he seemed to be trying to say something, but he remained speechless. 18 wasn't surprised. She couldn't imagine how it felt being in his position right now.

"Do…do you know how many times I asked her, and she insisted she didn't remember anything. She was convincing, too. Are you sure…?" Krillin asked as he knitted his eyebrows tightly together.

"Yeah, well." 18 said with a broad smile as she lowered her hand and walked over to her nightstand. "Maron responds better with a little physical coercion." 18 smirked at Krillin, whose eyes bulged wide at her suggestion.

"18, you didn't!" He exclaimed as a smile formed on his face. 18's smirk widened as she grabbed a filled plastic bag and handed it to Krillin.

"This is some of your stuff." 18 said as he took the bag and continued to stare at her in disbelief. Krillin looked around the room, noting the stacks of boxes and barren walls.

"You guys are moving out?" Krillin asked, sounding idiotic with the obvious question. Graduation was tomorrow, mostly every graduating student was moving out. 18 laughed at Krillin endearingly, stepping back towards her bed.

"Like everyone else." 18 stated calmly as she sat on her bed. Krillin sat beside her, setting the bag on the ground. They sat in silence for a moment, letting the changes that were happening between them sink in. Then 18 felt a soft, warm hand on her face as Krillin's lips met hers, and he kissed her deeply. She kissed back with fervor, having missed him more than she realized. She cursed the fact that it was the middle of the day and her brother was angrily stalking right outside the house, because if they had more privacy right now, she'd love to show Krillin just how much she missed him. "I love you, Krillin." 18 said with a smile as she pulled away. Krillin looked into her eyes, and she was happy to see that light in his eyes again. He did not at all look like he did when he first walked into the house today.

"I love you, too, 18." Krillin said with a smile as he reached into his pocket. He smiled as he kept his hand in his pocket, and 18 wondered what he was up to. "I came here today to beg you for forgiveness, and to show you just how serious I was about you. I figured I'd go out on a limb, and if I lost you forever, then at least I'd know I did everything I could to keep you. I didn't expect it to work out." Krillin smiled at 18, removing the item from his pocket and sliding off the bed to bend on one knee in front of her. "Now I think it might." Krillin said as he held up the item, opening it to reveal a beautiful solitaire ring. 18 gasped as Krillin extended his other hand, grabbing her hand gently. "18, will you marry me?"

18 smiled brightly, biting her lip as she attempted to hold back the tears she felt welling up. "Yes." She answered in a whisper as she leaned in to Krillin, kissing him passionately again. He broke the kiss and grabbed the ring, placing it on her finger. 18 gazed at the ring on her finger, and smiled back at a beaming Krillin, feeling truly happy and complete. She knew this was the one, he couldn't be any more perfect for her.

* * *

Chi-Chi yawned, opening her eyes to find she was alone in bed. She looked around the room, expecting to catch Goku getting dressed or heading to the bathroom, but there was no sign of him. She heard dishes clanking in the kitchen, and realized he must have been up early. She became excited as she realized what day it was. Graduation day. They were finally finished, graduating, moving out to another city after this, and she was excited to start her life with Goku and the baby. And they'd have a nice dinner with Goku's parents and her father today, even Raditz was coming, unfortunately. But Chi-Chi couldn't wait to tell them about the baby. It would feel more real once their families knew.

Chi-Chi sat up and was preparing to step out of bed when the bedroom door flew open, Goku balancing a tray full of food. "Don't get up!" He told her as Chi-Chi settled back into a comfortable sitting position on the bed. He placed the tray on her lap, then walked around to the other side of the bed to sit next to her. "Good morning. I made you breakfast." He told her with a huge smile as he kissed her on the cheek. Chi-Chi marveled at the amazing breakfast before her. Goku was never a great cook, but she couldn't complain about that right now. It was so sweet that he thought to do this for her, she didn't care how the food tasted. There were scrambled eggs, bacon, orange juice, coffee, toast, and even a fancy red cloth napkin on the tray. Chi-Chi smiled at Goku, then turned to the food.

"Good morning to you, too. This is a nice surprise." Chi-Chi said as she sipped the orange juice, then picked up a slice of bacon. "What possessed you to do this?" She asked as she bit into the bacon which was slightly burnt, but she liked it crispy, she decided with a shrug.

"I've always wanted to do this." Goku said happily. "And this is the last time I can before we move out of here."

"Aren't you having any?" Chi-Chi asked, shocked to realize Goku was not even touching or looking at her food.

"Me? No, I already ate plenty. This is your breakfast. I just want to sit here with you while you eat, if you don't mind." Chi-Chi looked at Goku, who looked very happy with himself for doing this. She smiled and shook her head.

"Alright." She said as she finished the bacon and moved on to the next piece. "I can't believe we're finally graduating." Chi-Chi said between bites.

"Yeah. Graduating, moving, having a baby. So much is happening." Goku mused with a sigh as he leaned back on the headboard and rubbed his hand up and down Chi-Chi's back.

"Do you regret it?" Chi-Chi asked him suspiciously as she sipped some coffee.

"No!" Goku exclaimed as he sat up, looking at her surprised. "I don't regret any of it." He said as his voice softened and his hand moved to Chi-Chi's belly. He stroked lovingly in circles, his gaze set on her midsection as Chi-Chi smiled at the thoughts of the little life inside of her. She finished her orange juice, then moved on to her eggs, trying not to laugh at the pieces of eggshell she spotted as she poked them around, deciding maybe she would pass on them and eat the toast instead.

"I can't wait to meet him." Goku said as he was still rubbing and stroking Chi-Chi's belly.

"Him? What makes you thinks it's a him? It could be a girl, you know." Chi-Chi stated as she realized they'd be able to find out the baby's gender in only a few more weeks.

"It's a boy. I know it is." Goku said with confidence, that confidence that Chi-Chi always found so attractive, no matter how unreasonable it might be at times. Chi-Chi finished her toast, then took another sip of the coffee, deciding she was about done with breakfast. "Chi-Chi." Goku said as he observed her finishing her meal. She noticed a bit of haste in his voice. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Chi-Chi glanced at him curiously, lifting the napkin to wipe her face as she noticed him stiffen and bite his lip as he gazed towards the tray. Chi-Chi placed the napkin down on her plate and looked where Goku was looking.

Under the napkin had been hidden a small red velvet jewelry box. Chi-Chi inhaled sharply at the sight of it, trying not to get too hopeful at what this might be. Knowing Goku, it could be a class ring for a graduation gift rather than the meaningful ring she was hoping for. She looked at him warily, as he raised his eyebrows and nodded at the box, waiting for her to open it. He smiled as she reached for the box, and she shifted her gaze from him to it as she opened it. The ring was beautiful. It was more than she could ever hope for as she rotated the box in her hand and watched it sparkle, seeing all the diamond settings surrounding the larger diamond that seemed far too much for Goku to be able to afford.

"Chi-Chi, will you-" Goku started before Chi-Chi pushed the tray off her lap and pounced on him, landing her lips fiercely on his in a frenzy of kisses.

"Yes! Yes!" Chi-Chi exclaimed happily between kisses, not needing to hear the question as her excitement overtook her. Goku wrapped his arms around her as she laid on top of him, kissing her deeply as her excitement died down enough for him to take back some control. He sat up, pushing her back gently as he pried the jewelry box from Chi-Chi's fingers. Goku grabbed the ring and Chi-Chi's hand, placing the ring on her delicate finger.

"marry me?" he finished with a bright smile as Chi-Chi giggled.

"Yes." Chi-Chi repeated calmly as her giggles died down. She turned her hand side to side as she watched the ring glitter on her finger, looking even more impressive on her hand than it did in the box. "Goku, where did you get the money for something like this?" She didn't want to ruin the moment, but she had to ask. She knew money was tight for him and his family, and didn't want him going into debt for this. She would have been happy with a simple ring.

"Oh. I borrowed a little bit. But don't worry, I landed a great job. I'll be getting paid well after we move to East City, so it should take no time at all to pay Vegeta back."

Vegeta? Chi-Chi shook her head. She wasn't going to ask. She could care less about graduation now; this was a far more exciting start to the day. Now they could tell their families that they were having a baby _and getting married_, which would be so much easier. Goku looked down at the ground, where all the food had spilled when Chi-Chi knocked the tray over. She stopped him from getting up as he was about to go clean it, kissing him and pulling him into her, rubbing her hands up and down his chiseled chest and abdomen. She pulled on the hem of his shirt, and Goku helped her as he wiggled out of it. He kissed Chi-Chi again as he climbed over her and returned the action, rubbing his hands up and down her body, kneading her breasts in his hands. Chi-Chi's breath quickened as she whispered with a sultry voice into Goku's ear, "I'll clean it up later."

* * *

Bulma moved her tassel from the right to the left side of her mortarboard as the graduation ceremony concluded. She headed through the crowd of screaming graduates towards the area where she and her friends had agreed to meet after the ceremony. They had plans to go out with their families later, but wanted to meet with each other before going their separate ways. Everyone would still have each other's numbers after they left, but they would be living separate lives from here, going to different cities. They would not be seeing each other nearly as much as they were used to anymore.

Bulma was a little disappointed, thinking about how her parents refused to leave their home and come here. She'd have to go to them and show them that she graduated, probably next week or something. Bulma saw Goku and Chi-Chi, standing exactly where she expected to see them. Chi-Chi recognized her and immediately ran up to Bulma, waving her left hand wildly. Bulma couldn't help but notice the sparkle on her finger shining in the sunlight.

"Bulma! Goku asked me to marry him!" Chi-Chi squealed delightedly as Bulma took hold of Chi-Chi's waving hand and closely inspected the ring. She raised an impressed eyebrow at it. Not bad, she thought as she nodded and released Chi-Chi's hand.

"Congratulations!" Bulma said as she gave Chi-Chi a hug. "I guess graduating wasn't enough for you today. You just had to outdo us all with getting engaged." Bulma said in mock complaint. She truly was happy for them; she was ready to give Goku a piece of her mind if he didn't propose to Chi-Chi.

"How'd you know?" Bulma heard from behind her, spinning around to see 18.

"How'd I know what?" Bulma asked in confusion as 18 raised her left hand in Bulma's face.

"About the engagement." 18 said with a superior smile as Krillin walked up behind her, wrapping his arm around her waist.

"You got engaged, too?" Goku asked as he caught up to the group. Krillin and 18 nodded happily, looking like the perfect happy couple. "I thought you two broke up?" Goku said in confusion while Chi-Chi shrugged at him, looking confused as well. Bulma knew they'd get back together. She didn't expect them to makeup and get engaged all at once, but she wasn't going to question it. She was more worried now about where Vegeta was. She was searching the crowd the whole time they had been speaking, and saw no sign of him. She caught Goku's eye, and noticed he was watching her and whispering something to Chi-Chi as he removed his cap and gown and handed them to her.

"Bulma." Goku said, looking over his shoulder to wave at someone who had called his name. "Can you come with me for a quick errand? I need to pick something up from the airport, but Chi-Chi needs to stay here because her dad will be showing anytime now."

"Goku, if Chi-Chi's dad is coming, don't you want to be with her when she tells him about the engagement and the baby?" Bulma asked, Goku's request making no sense to her. "Can't your errand wait?"

"No. Chi-Chi's going to wait for me to get back. She'll keep the ring hidden until I get back. But that ring is the reason I need to do this, Bulma. Vegeta lent me the money to pay for it, and I have to do this for him in return. He said it had to be done right after the graduation."

"Is that why Vegeta's not here right now?" Bulma asked distrustfully. Why would Vegeta be missing his own graduation?

"Uh…" Goku said as he scratched his head, looking to Bulma like he was trying to come up with an excuse. "He was here, he just left right away. After the airport, I just have to bring it to him. Then it's done. So can you come with me?"

Bulma sighed. "Fine." Her parents weren't here, Vegeta wasn't here. She really didn't care to ride to the airport with Goku right now for some shady sounding errand, but if he was meeting up with Vegeta afterwards, she might as well go. Then she could give Vegeta a piece of her mind for leaving her in this situation in the first place. They waved to their friends as they walked off towards Goku's car, weaving through the crowds. Once they made it into Goku's car, Bulma removed her cap and gown and threw them in the backseat. They had a lot of traffic to contend with on their way out of the parking lot and off campus. Bulma watched Goku suspiciously as he navigated his way through the traffic, being careful not to hit pedestrians. She pursed her lips as she realized something was not right here.

"What did you say you have to pick up from the airport, Goku?" Bulma asked as she tapped her heel in the car and crossed her arms.

"I didn't say." Goku said blankly as he finally made it off campus and they traveled at higher speeds heading towards the airport.

"How are you going to pick something up if you don't know what it is?" Bulma asked quizzically.

"I didn't say I don't know what it is." Goku said with a smug smile. He was getting really irritating. Bulma could see why Vegeta treated Goku the way he did now.

She huffed in her seat, looking out the window. She could tell from the signs they were passing that they were definitely heading towards the airport. At least Goku was taking her where he said he was. "Goku! Tell me what is going on here." Bulma ordered just as Goku was reaching forward for the radio. He turned the music on and rotated the dial to a high volume, pretending he hadn't heard her. That really pissed her off. She slammed her hand on the radio, turning off the music and giving Goku a harsh glare.

"What's wrong, Bulma?" Goku asked, seemingly so innocent that Bulma almost felt foolish for the way she was acting. Goku told her they were doing an errand for Vegeta at the airport. It's not like he was really hiding anything.

"Uh…nothing." Bulma sighed, deciding to shake off her suspicions. "I guess I'm just pissed that Vegeta didn't wait for me." She turned to Goku to see him still smiling, shifting his gaze to her and relaxing his smile. What was he smiling about? They approached the exit for the airport, and Goku followed the signs to the passenger pick-up/drop-off area. He parked the car amidst people with suitcases and buses unloading passengers, looking to Bulma once their motion had halted.

"Would you mind running inside for it?" Goku asked as he looked pointedly at a sign that said 'no parking' in the zone he was parked in.

"Sure." Bulma sighed in irritation. "Where do I have to go?"

"Just go to the baggage drop-off. I think it's right inside there." Goku said as he pointed to the glass doors just ahead of them. "Ask the people at the counter for a pickup for Vegeta. They should be expecting someone to pick it up."

Bulma shrugged and opened the car door, stepping out and taking a few steps before she realized they probably wouldn't give her anything without some sort of proper identification. She had her purse, but why would they give Bulma Briefs a pickup item for Vegeta? She turned back to Goku's car to see he was already pulling out of the parking space.

"Goku! Where the hell are you going?" Bulma yelled as she tried following the car and he drove off, seemingly unaware of her pursuit. "Dammit. He better be coming back here." Bulma grumbled as she figured she may as well go inside and see if she can satisfy her curiosity to figure out what this item was waiting at pickup.

She stepped through the glass doors, looking up at the signs posted at the airport entrance for baggage drop-off as she walked forward. She had to head to the left, and as soon as her gaze drifted from the hovering signs to what was in front of her, she was shocked to see a very recognizable face staring right at her.

She knit her eyebrows in confusion and walked up to him. He was smirking and leaning against the counter with his arms crossed, looking very proud of himself as she approached. She noticed two bags behind him, one of which was her own.

"What? What is going on, Vegeta?" Bulma said as she stood right in front of him, wanting to wipe that smug smile off his face. Then it all hit her, and she could see him react to her change in expression, looking like he was gloating or trying not to laugh at her. "There never was something to pick up at the airport." Bulma stated.

"No. I just needed Kakarot to drop something off for me." Vegeta said meaningfully as he sent Bulma a sexy smirk. He bent to grab the bags and began walking. "I already checked our luggage." Vegeta informed over his shoulder as Bulma followed.

"_Our_ luggage? You packed stuff for me? Vegeta, we just graduated. I thought your parents were coming?" Bulma asked a flurry of questions as none of this was making sense. How could he be planning on going away right now?

"I know your parents aren't coming, and I told mine they could wait for some other time." Vegeta said as he smiled at Bulma and they stepped onto the escalator. "As for graduation, who gives a shit?" Vegeta said, in such a way that made Bulma laugh as she realized he really meant it.

"I still can't believe you packed for me. I mean, just where do you think we are going?" Bulma asked as she smiled and cocked an eyebrow at Vegeta, carefully stepping off the escalator.

"Papaya Island." Vegeta said with a smirk. Bulma was impressed; Papaya Island was a very romantic location.

"I didn't think you had it in you, Vegeta." Bulma beamed. "This is so romantic of you, planning a surprise vacation to a remote island, just the two of us."

"I'm celebrating. We're finally free after all that time being stuck at that lousy campus, putting up with our idiot friends and all their drama. I needed to get the hell away from everyone." Bulma frowned at that statement. "Everyone but you, that is." Vegeta smirked as they joined the line for the security check. He leaned into Bulma's ear, whispering so the people waiting nearby wouldn't hear. "Besides, I'm going to fuck the shit out of you on this trip, so you better be ready." Vegeta's menacing tone sent shivers down Bulma's spine. She bit her lip and raised her eyebrows at him in interest. Two could play that game, and she was definitely ready for the challenge. This was really going out with a bang for celebrating a graduation.


	27. Epilogue

Epilogue

Bulma wrapped her arms around Vegeta's neck, swaying her hips side to side as they danced. She could see Goku and Chi-Chi at their table with the baby, Chi-Chi preparing a bottle as Goku rifled through the diaper bag. She looked to her left and saw Krillin and 18 dancing beside her, 18 looking beautiful in her dress. They had been to more weddings this year than they could count, but this one was special.

Bulma smiled at Vegeta, who she caught also looking around thoughtfully at their friends. The song was ending, so Bulma slid her arms down, reaching for Vegeta's hands as she led him to the table with Chi-Chi and Goku. He rolled his eyes at her as he realized what she was doing, but she knew he couldn't protest. This was necessary.

"We have to see them, Vegeta." Bulma whispered through her teeth as they neared the table. "Now say hello." Vegeta stepped forward, looking at Goku as he avoided glancing at the baby. Bulma stifled a laugh. He'd need to get over his dislike of babies soon.

"Hello, Kakarot. Having a good time?" Vegeta asked sarcastically as they could see Goku was looking worriedly at Chi-Chi as the baby started fussing and she was working to soothe the baby's tears.

"Yeah." Goku said genuinely with a broad smile, despite his current circumstance. Bulma smiled warmly at him. Good old Goku, always the optimist. "Congratulations, you guys." He said as he gave Vegeta a quick hug, Vegeta quickly pushing him away as Bulma caught a blush on his cheeks at his embarassment of being so close to his friend. Goku gave Bulma a hug, Bulma noticing a bit of a jealous glare from Vegeta which she was proud to see.

Chi-Chi stepped to Bulma next, the baby in her arms now calm as she carefully hugged her friend. "I can't believe you two are married now!" She exclaimed happily. Bulma was happy to see Chi-Chi looking so content. Motherhood definitely suited her.

"Gohan is adorable." Bulma cooed as she stroked the baby's soft cheeks and watched his adorable little eyes looking at her.

"Why don't you hold him, Bulma? You could probably use some practice." Chi-Chi said as she handed over the baby without waiting for an answer. Was that a dig? Just because Bulma wasn't as experienced as Chi-Chi with babies did not mean she would not be just as much of a naturally talented mother as Chi-Chi once her child was born. Bulma was not happy about holding a baby who was just fed while wearing her designer wedding gown, but she accepted him into her arms anyways. She swayed Gohan gently side to side as she imagined doing this to her own baby soon. She smiled at the baby, then looked at Vegeta warmly. She could see he had been watching her intently, though he immediately turned his face once he saw he had been caught. Bulma gave one last smile to Gohan as Goku reached over and scooped him from her arms.

"Come on, little guy. We're going to the buffet." Goku said gladly as he headed off to his destination.

"We have to say hi to everyone else." Bulma informed Chi-Chi politely as she turned to head to the next table.

"Hey! What about me?" She heard from behind Chi-Chi. Bulma smirked as Raditz walked up, Chi-Chi swiftly stepping aside as his hand nearly grazed her ass. He stopped and gave his glaring sister-in-law a knowing look with a chuckle, then turned to Bulma, giving her a tight, long hug. He released her when Vegeta gave him a sharp prod to the kidney.

"Get off of her." He hissed. Vegeta looked at Raditz, then back at Bulma. "Remind me why we invited him."

"Because, as short as it lasted, he was your roommate in college, Vegeta." Bulma said with a smile.

"Congratulations, guys." Raditz said as he threw an almond in his mouth and chewed on it. He looked towards the buffet table, then towards the dance floor as he placed another almond in his mouth. "Have you seen where my date went?"

"I don't think I know who your date is." Bulma stated with a frown.

"You'll never believe who Raditz brought here." Chi-Chi said stepping forward with a frown as she shifted Gohan onto her hip. "Maron."

"Oh." Bulma said in surprise, turning to Raditz. "You're still talking to her?"

"Not so much talking." Raditz said with a smirk. "But we've been keeping in touch. So have you seen her?"

"Believe me. If I had seen Maron at my wedding, I would not forget that. You need to keep a leash on that girl, Raditz." Bulma said threateningly. She was not going to tolerate that woman doing something that would ruin the memories of her wedding day.

Raditz placed the remaining almonds he had been holding back on the table and turned back to Bulma with a thoughtful click of the tongue. "Yeah, I guess I'll go look for her." He said casually as he walked off, just as Goku was returning to the table with a plateful of food.

"Alright. Like I said, we need to see everyone else. You guys enjoy your meal." Bulma said as she observed Goku excitedly sitting down with a very full plate as he handed the baby back to Chi-Chi. Bulma grabbed Vegeta's hand and again tried to head to the next table, but was stopped by the two people whose mouths she wished she could keep shut during this occasion.

"Please don't do anything to embarrass me." Bulma said pointedly as she looked towards Vegeta.

"Oh, honey. Your husband is so handsome, and he should be used to us by now." Bunny said as she grabbed Vegeta's cheek. He stepped back and looked at her like she was crazy.

"Well, I'm not." Vegeta said with a forced smile as he stepped away, not intending to be subjected to anymore conversation than necessary from his new in-laws.

"Oh, Bulma, dear. We are so proud of you. You found a good man, too." Dr. Briefs said as he placed an unlit cigarette in his mouth, an old habit that he had.

"Oh! Bulma, shouldn't you be greeting your guests? The reception's almost over, and I know you haven't seen some of them in quite a while." Bunny said as she glanced around the room with a large smile. "You know, you never told me that you knew so many handsome young men."

"Yeah. Why don't you go talk to some of them, Mom?" Bulma said as she patted her mother on the back encouragingly, walking quickly away from her before more talking might begin. She could only hope her mother would not try making any moves on her friends who weren't single. Bulma watched her mother warily as she continued stepping away, always feeling like a babysitter with that woman around. She ran into someone, cursing herself for being so stupid to walk without looking where she was going. "Sorry." She said as she turned around to see Yamcha.

"Hey, Bulma. Congratulations!" He said caringly as he wrapped his arms around her in a big hug. Bulma hugged Yamcha back, glancing cautiously for Vegeta's whereabouts. She had invited Yamcha to the wedding, thinking the whole Kame House fight was water under the bridge after all this time, but when Vegeta found out, he was furious. Needless to say, it was best if Vegeta and Yamcha stayed far apart today.

"Yamcha. I'm so glad you came." Bulma lied, finally finding Vegeta on the other side of the room, glaring at them. Great. "So, how are you?" Bulma asked as she hoped to speed this conversation along.

"Great. Not as great as you. I mean, you look fantastic." Yamcha said as he admired Bulma's appearance in her wedding gown.

"Thanks. But, you know, it is my wedding day, and I've got that pregnancy glow." Bulma said. "Are you getting married anytime soon?" No sooner than the question escaped her mouth, Bulma was frowning in remorse. What if Yamcha was all alone still?

"I don't know." Yamcha answered rather comfortably. "But speaking of that, I better get going." Yamcha said as he checked his watch. "My girlfriend is waiting in the car; she'll be pissed if I keep her long."

"Your girlfriend?" Bulma said with a confused tilt of the head. "Your invitation had a plus one on it, Yamcha. She could've come."

"Yeah, she's great." Yamcha rubbed the back of his head and scuffed his shoe on the ground uncomfortably. "The truth is, she wasn't too happy about me going to my ex-girlfriend's wedding. I guess she's a little jealous. I couldn't convince her to come, but at least she was willing to bring me here. But, she is waiting. I better go." Yamcha said as he gave Bulma a quick kiss on the cheek and began walking away. Bulma caught Vegeta approaching out of the corner of her eye. He had seen that, and she figured she better hurry Yamcha out.

"Bye, Yamcha! Thanks again for coming!" Bulma called as Yamcha quickly headed towards the staircase and started descending them out of the reception. Vegeta grabbed Bulma by the waist, and she turned to him in relief. That was close.

"He came." Vegeta said as he narrowed his eyes towards the staircase where Yamcha had been.

"Yes. But he left, to be with his girlfriend who was waiting." Bulma said as she reached her hand up to caress Vegeta's face, hoping to sooth his anger. "Come on. We still have more people to see." Vegeta huffed, but didn't budge. Bulma frowned. He better cooperate with her for just this one day! Vegeta finally picked up his feet and went in the direction Bulma was leading him.

"I already saw my family, and Tien and Piccolo. I don't even know who all these other people are. Who the hell did your parents invite to this thing?" Vegeta complained as he scanned the room.

"My parents…" Bulma said as she rolled her eyes at the thought. Who didn't they invite? But at least they were paying for it. "Hey! We haven't seen Krillin and 18." Bulma said excitedly as she caught 18 heading away from the dance floor on her own, reaching to grab her arm. "18!" She exclaimed when she reached her.

18 turned around, giving Bulma a tight hug with a big smile. "Bulma!" She exclaimed happily as she released her friend, turning her attention to Vegeta as she frowned. "Vegeta." 18 crossed her arms, and Vegeta just nodded at her. Bulma didn't let that bother her, though. Those two had been that way for a while now whenever they'd see each other. She accepted it at this point as a personality thing more than a problem between the two.

"Hey, guys! Congratulations!" They heard from behind them, as Bulma and Vegeta turned to let Krillin through to join 18 at her side.

"Thanks, Krillin." Bulma said wholeheartedly, giving Vegeta a nudge.

"Thanks." Vegeta mumbled, obviously hating this wedding thing.

"Really, Vegeta." Bulma scolded. "Krillin, were you like this on your wedding day? I'd like to think grooms should be happy on their wedding day to hear people congratulate them."

"Yeah, I had a blast at our wedding. Lighten up, Vegeta." Krillin said as he gave Vegeta a friendly punch on the shoulder. Vegeta sneered at Krillin, not at all happy with the suggestion. Krillin stepped back, feeling the need to correct himself for Vegeta's sake. "Yeah, but, you know…if I remember correctly, Goku wasn't too good with this part either." Vegeta let out an abbreviated laugh, while Bulma smiled broadly at the memory. Goku practically spent his and Chi-Chi's entire wedding avoiding everyone; he just seemed unable to handle all the attention. He was also dying to get out of his tux and into casual clothing. Bulma smiled as she saw Raditz finally caught Maron, and the two were heading down the stairs. Chi-Chi and Goku approached them, Chi-Chi tapping Bulma on the shoulder.

"Hey, guys. We need to get going. Gohan needs to get some sleep, it's not going to happen here. It was really great seeing you again." Chi-Chi said as she hugged Bulma, then Vegeta. "Hope you have a great honeymoon." She said with a wink to Bulma, at which Bulma smirked. Like they needed a honeymoon. That trip to Papaya Island had been the most memorable vacation Bulma ever had. It would be really hard to top that. Bulma looked at Vegeta and caught him smirking at her, looking deviously secretive about something. Maybe this honeymoon could top the last trip. Bulma smiled as she watched her friends leave, and prepared to dress into casual clothes for the send-off of the newlyweds as the reception was ending.

As Bulma joined Vegeta in the car littered with cans and a hand-written "just married" sign, she turned to look out the back window, waving to all her friends as they left. She was happily married with her prince charming now, as far as she was concerned. The next big adventure would be this baby, who she could only hope did not inherit his or her father's attitude, she thought with a laugh. Vegeta looked at her curiously when he heard the laugh. Bulma just smiled at him, bringing him in tightly for a kiss as she wrapped her arms around his neck.


End file.
